Calves, or young cows, do get bigger over time through a natural process of growth and development. However, specific exercises like running can help contribute to calf muscle development and overall body size. In this 5000 word article, we’ll explore how calves grow, the role of exercise like running, calf development, and factors that influence calf size and growth.
How do calves grow over time?
Like all young mammals, calves experience a period of rapid growth early in life. A calf’s size and weight increases steadily during the first 8-12 months as they progress from a newborn to a juvenile.
Calves are born weighing 55 to 100 pounds. In the first 6 months, a dairy calf can gain up to 2 pounds per day, doubling their birth weight in 60 days. From 6 months to a year, daily weight gain slows to 1-2 pounds per day. Overall, calves gain 400-700 pounds in the first year.
This calf growth occurs through:
– Cell division and proliferation – Cells throughout the calf’s body divide and increase in number, adding new tissue.
– Bone and muscle growth – Bones lengthen and muscles grow larger through the accumulation of protein.
– Organ growth – Organs like the heart, lungs, and stomach develop.
– Fat deposition – Nutrient reserves are stored as fat.
Genetics play a key role in determining a calf’s growth rate and ultimate size. But nutrition is also critical. A balanced diet with ample calories, protein, vitamins and minerals allows calves to achieve their full genetic potential for growth.
Does running help calves grow bigger?
Running forces calves to use and exercise their muscles. The act of running causes microscopic tears and damage to muscle fibers. When the muscles repair themselves, they build back stronger. This makes the muscles larger over time.
The same thing happens with bone. The impact of running applies force to bone tissue, stimulating remodeling and growth. Bones become denser and slightly larger.
Therefore, regular running from an early age can stimulate muscle and bone growth in calves. However, genetics, nutrition, health status, and gender ultimately determine a calf’s final size and muscling.
Here are some of the effects running can have on calf development:
– Increased muscle mass – Running requires calves to engage their major muscle groups. This builds more skeletal muscle.
– Stronger bones – The impact of running causes slight damage to bone that makes them rebuild denser and stronger.
– Improved cardiovascular fitness – The heart and lungs must work harder during running, improving calf respiratory and circulatory function.
– Increased appetite – Running stimulates calve’s appetite and food intake. More calories are available for growth.
– Hormone stimulation – Weight-bearing exercise triggers hormone releases that support growth and development.
However, excessive, intensive running at too early an age may negatively impact joints and growth plates. Moderation is key. Integrating running into calf development programs requires careful balance.
What factors influence calf growth and size?
While running can support calf development, other factors have a larger influence on calf growth rates and ultimate size:
Genetics
A calf’s genetics account for 60-80% of their growth potential and adult size. Purebred calves, like Holsteins, tend to be larger than crossbred calves. Selective breeding focuses on traits like rapid growth and muscling.
Nutrition
Calves need adequate nutrition to fuel their rapid growth. Key dietary factors include:
– Milk – Whole milk provides concentrated protein and fat for growth. Calves allowed to nurse their dams or fed milk replacer gain more weight.
– Protein – A calf’s diet must contain 14-18% crude protein from sources like milk or calf starter feeds.
– Calories – The energy density of the diet, provided by carbohydrates and fats, must meet the calf’s needs.
– Vitamins and minerals – These support bone, muscle, and organ growth. Common deficiencies impairing calf growth include vitamins A, D, E and the minerals calcium, phosphorus, and zinc.
Health
Sick calves divert energy away from growth to mount an immune response. Common calfhood illnesses like scours, pneumonia, and parasitic infections slow weight gain. Preventive healthcare and prompt treatment of illness allow calves to achieve their genetic potential for growth.
Gender
Gender hormones largely influence calf growth patterns. Bull calves grow 20% faster and achieve 10% greater weight than steers (castrated males) and heifers. Provided the same nutrients, the anabolic effects of testosterone give bull calves an advantage for rapid lean tissue growth.
Calf muscle development
Let’s specifically look at the role of exercise like running on calf muscle growth and development.
Muscle growth process
Calf muscles grow larger through the process of hypertrophy – the enlargement of muscle cells. When overloaded through exercise like running, muscle fibers respond by:
– Increasing protein synthesis – More contractile proteins like actin and myosin are produced, increasing muscle cell size.
– Enhancing protein retention – Exercise improves nutrient delivery to muscles while decreasing protein breakdown.
– Recruiting satellite cells – These stem cells fuse with muscle fibers, donating their nuclei to support growth.
This enlarges and strengthens calf muscle fibers in response to running. Over time, calves build more lean muscle mass.
Response to running
The physical demands of running triggers the following muscular changes:
– Fiber hypertrophy – Running overloads and forces adaptation of the muscles used, like the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves.
– Increased blood flow – Running improves vascularization, enhancing nutrient delivery to working muscles.
– Neural changes – Running improves neuromuscular coordination, allowing increased fiber recruitment and growth across entire muscles.
Benefits of calf muscle growth
Increased skeletal muscle offers the following advantages:
– Increased calf weight and efficiency – More muscular calves have better feed conversion to gain weight faster. A 10% increase in muscling can improve gain by 18%.
– Better athletic performance – Muscular calves have greater strength and endurance for exercise.
– Improved health – Muscle supports immune function and provides reserves during illness or stress.
– Increased marbling and yield – Heavily muscled cattle generally produce more high-quality beef.
Risks of over-running
However, there are some risks to running calves too hard or too young:
– Overworked muscles – Constant overloading can cause strain injuries to the calves or shins.
– Joint issues – High-impact exercise can damage developing joints if growth plates are still soft.
– Reduced flexibility – Heavily muscled calves may lose range of motion and become stiff.
– Metabolic problems – Intense exercise can induce metabolic acidosis or electrolyte imbalances.
A moderate, progressive exercise program allows for muscle development while minimizing injury risks.
Optimizing calf exercise programs
Here are some tips for safely incorporating running into calf development:
– Start slow – Begin with short duration, low-intensity running focusing on proper movement.
– Build gradually – Increase running time and intensity over several weeks to allow musculoskeletal adaptation.
– Vary activities – Include other lower impact exercises like walking, swimming, or grazing/foraging.
– Allow rest periods – Avoid overtraining by incorporating rest days. Muscle growth occurs during recovery.
– Monitor condition – Look for signs of lameness, injury, or fatigue and adjust programs accordingly.
– Provide nutrition – Meet increased calorie, protein, mineral needs stimulated by exercise.
– Group by size – Avoid bullying by grouping calves of similar weight.
– Consider genetics – Adjust programs according to breed-specific exercise needs and predisposition to injury.
Conclusion
In summary, regular running can complement calf development by stimulating muscle and bone growth. However, many factors influence a calf’s ultimate size and muscling including genetics, nutrition, health status, and gender. While important for fitness, running plays a secondary role to these factors. Carefully designed and implemented exercise programs allow calves to gain the benefits – like increased muscling – without adverse effects like overworked joints. Monitoring calves closely and adjusting an exercise protocol based on their response optimizes the contributions of controlled running to calf growth and fitness.
| Age | Average Daily Gain |
|---|---|
| Newborn | 2 lb |
| 3 months | 2 lb |
| 6 months | 1.5 lb |
| 12 months | 1 lb |
