Energy demands for calves can increase during periods of heat and cold stress. One way to potentially increase energy intake is to increase the energy density of the feed with fat. Trial 1a compared a control starter with no added fat or oil (CON) to starters with 2% tallow (TAL) and 2% soybean oil (SOY). Starters were 20% CP and 45 to 47% starch. Male Holstein calves (n = 48) that were initially 3 to 5 d of age were fed a 27% CP, 17% fat milk replacer at 0.66 kg DM daily and fully weaned by 42 d of a 56-d trial. Trial 1b estimated the digestion of the diets (employed chromic oxide as an indigestible digesta flow marker) using a subset of 5 weaned calves per treatment between d 52 and 56. Trial 2 used 48 Holstein calves initially 59 to 61 d of age fed starters CON and SOY blended with 5% chopped grass hay over a 56-d trial. Trial 3 used 48 Holstein calves initially 59 to 61 d of age fed starters CON and TAL blended with 5% chopped grass hay over a 56-d trial. Treatments were compared in a randomized ANOVA using repeated measures. In Trials 1a and 1b, pre-planned contrasts compared CON vs. TAL and CON vs. SOY (P < 0.05) Compared with CON, calves fed SOY had reduced starter intake, ADG, and digestion of DM, OM, and CP vs. CON before 8 weeks of age (P < 0.05). Compared with CON, calves fed SOY had reduced (P < 0.05) ADG and change in hip width from 2 to 4 mo of age. Compared with CON, calves fed TAL had reduced (P < 0.05) ADG and tended (P < 0.1) to have reduced change in hip width from 2 to 4 mo of age. Calculated ME intake was not increased in any trial by added fat or oil. Tallow and soybean oil inclusion at 2% of the starter feed was not advantageous for calf growth before 4 mo of age.