Water is essential to raising healthy calves and must be provided separate from milk from an early age. Water plays essential roles in hydrating a calf and also in rumen development. ... Offering water separate from milk will increase weight gains by increasing dry feed intake.

When should you give a calf water?

Calves must have water. Calves will begin to drink water between their feeds of milk from one to two weeks of age. Lack of water will cause the death of a calf faster than the lack of any other nutrient. By six weeks of age, a calf may be drinking abut four litres of water per day.

How long can calves go without water?

In hot conditions, cattle dehydrate quickly. “They need access to water every six hours, particularly in a feedlot. In winter, they may go 24 to 48 hours without water. Physiological status won't be ideal if they go 24 hours without water, but they continue to function.