by Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Beef Center

Results from a recent study on how early nutrition can affect finished beef health, performance and carcass quality in beef-on-dairy calves provided some clarity and some surprises for Iowa State University (ISU) researchers. Garland Dahlke, Iowa Beef Center research scientist, shared information from the project with attendees at the 2025 Feedlot Forum in northwest Iowa. He said the study focused on short- and longer-term effects of different diets in the first five months of life.

“We primarily looked at calf starter and the level of nonstructural carbohydrate concentration (NSC), and the effect this may have on the rest of the calf’s life and subsequent carcass composition,” he said. “Three groups of Angus x Holstein steer calves were followed during the two-year project.”

For the first stage, from birth to weaning at approximately 2 months of age, the calves were divided into two calf-starter treatments: one fed a higher NSC (30%) and one fed a moderate level (17%). From age 2 through 5 months, calves from each of the initial two groups were split into a similar pelleted diet to the initial 30% NSC diet vs. a total mixed ration (TMR). All calves in this stage were in group housing at the Iowa State University (ISU) Dairy and then at the ISU Beef Nutrition farm near Ames.

After completing the wean-to-grower phase at approximately 850 pounds (lb.), calves were moved to the ISU Armstrong Research Farm near Lewis, Iowa. All received the same ration from 5 months of age until finish.

Dahlke said these early diet treatments had a significant effect on the incidence of liver abscess. Those calves receiving the moderate NSC starter followed by a fairly energy- and protein-dense TMR had a significantly lower incidence of both liver abscesses and rumen/GI lesions when compared to calves on the higher NSC level and maintained on this NSC level beyond the calf-starter phase, or even those moved to the TMR after the calf-starter phase.