Newborn calves will utilize milk as the sole component of their diet. Calves will begin to supplement their diets with other feedstuffs as they mature and the feedstuffs become available. Usually when calves are about 60 to 70 days of age, they will begin to consume available forages and other feed sources, like creep feed, at about 1 to 1.2% of body weight. Producers should expect calves to consume a greater amount of feedstuffs other than milk as age advances. The beef calf rumen will become fully functional at about 80 to 90 days of age, so it is possible to wean calves from this and older ages without sacrificing calf performance if diets are properly formulated to meet nutritional requirements. It would not be uncommon for calves to be eating nearly 2 to 2.5% of their body weight as non-milk feedstuffs when they are 200 days old (typical weaning age).

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