Calf and Heifer Solutions

Getting off to the right start

Good nutrition and management during early life can have long-term effects on the lactation of dairy cows, resulting in increased lifetime milk production, as well as fewer health problems and treatments per cow.

We offer a holistic approach to calf and heifer rearing beyond the milk-feeding stage with a complete set of products and services covering seven phases of rearing. While it usually takes 27 to 28 months for a dairy cow to be ready for calving, the Cargill Calf and Heifer program targets an average age of 24 months, resulting not only in strong and healthy animals but higher lifetime production and increased income.

The program also includes the Cargill Growth Prediction System, which uses animal data, information on rations fed and environmental factors to predict growth from birth to calving. It models feed costs, efficiency, feed usage, estimated growth compared to optimal growth (based on the animal age at first calving) and the overall financial impact, then suggests ways of improving these outcomes.

Combined with our global proprietary nutrient system and product portfolio, it provides the best nutrition solution from birth to calving, resulting in a stronger herd and higher milk production in the long term.