Use Bovatec® or Rumensin® in Recently Weaned Dairy Heifer Grain Mixes

Many dairy calf starters (grain mixes formulated for baby calves on milk) contain decoquinate (trade name Deccox®) to prevent coccidiosis. Heifers with coccidiosis, a disease that can cause diarrhea in calves and young heifers, gain less weight. It is considered an opportunistic disease and is seen most often in heifers under 400 pounds who have been stressed. Remember that one of the most stressful times in a calf’s life is the month after weaning.

Deccox® works very well in preventing coccidiosis and acts by “holding” the coccidia in its life cycle in the intestinal cells. However, once Deccox® is removed from the diet the coccidia can grow and cause damage to the intestinal wall. Bovatec® and Rumensin® are feed additives that can be added to grain mixes for heifers to increase weight gain, improve feed efficiency, and prevent coccidiosis. Thus, heifer grain mixes (especially those heifers fed calf starters with Deccox®) should contain one of these feed additives at the proper rate of inclusion.

To learn more about coccidiosis, see the article entitled "Is the Protozoan Villain (known as Coccidiosis) Robbing Your Dairy calves and Heifers?".

Author: Donna M. Amaral-Phillips