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Choosing the best feed for young calves

In the second of four reports, Louise Murphy examines the true costs and benefits of the three systems.  Feeding young calves with fresh milk straight from the cow is probably the best and most natural way to feed your calves. You only have to see how a suckler calf grows to appreciate how good fresh milk is, even dairy bred calves fed on a nurse cow will out perform any alternative. However, it is an expensive option, suckled calves can consume up to 20 litres a day by the age of 6 weeks. Even using 4 litres a day of milk, suitable for sale, on a bucket system can be a costly option.

Many farmers choose a second option, which is to use waste milk, from cows which have been treated with antibiotics, or those having very high cell counts. But is this really a better method than the third option - using a specially formulated milk replacer powder. On average, feeding whole milk to calves through to weaning equates to an extra £11 per calf. Using a milk replacer is a cheaper option, freeing up milk for sale and increasing profit overall. Feeding saleable milk to calves will reduce potential profit by 7ppl.

So what are the risks to calves by feeding waste, whole milk?

The primary areas of concern with waste milk are bacterial contamination, variation in nutrient intake, and low concentrations of vitamins and minerals compared with milk replacer.

Bacterial contamination, which is present in whole milk, can double every 20 minutes. There is also the possibility of diseases, such as Johnes, Salmonella, Mycoplasma E.coli, and BVD being transmitted from the cow, through the milk to the calf. Bearing in mind the points considered above, milk replacer provides many benefits over whole milk. It is consistent in the nutrients and vitamins available to the calf. It is made from pasteurised milk and in trials it out-performs whole milk time and time again.

The overall conclusion is that in any successful dairy or beef herd, calves need to meet their genetic potential in terms of milk yield, fertility or meat production. However, with the potential health problems associated with feeding waste whole milk, calves may never reach these expectations.  In order to improve the overall production of your herd and give your calves the best possible start, milk powder is a more reliable option.

Written by Louise Murphy, Calf Specialist

 


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