Una Hickey, Feed For Growth (Volac Milk Replacers Ireland Limited), National Sales Manager, says it’s ultimately about laying the foundations for success. “Investing in a high quality, precision formulated calf milk replacer will pay dividends in improved calf growth and better overall lifetime production,” she explains.

“Not all calf milk replacers are created equal so it’s worth taking the time to understand what’s in the bag and whether the CMR you’re selecting is the best possible for your specific performance targets and farm challenges.”

Sharon O’Donoghue, Feed For Growth, measuring calf growth during a visit to Tommy Relihan’s farm in Adare, Co Limerick.

1. Skim and whey can both deliver

Well-formulated, high-quality CMR with either skim milk powder or concentrated whey protein as the major source of dairy protein, both deliver comparable animal performance. If the important milk components are processed correctly both skim and whey proteins will be highly digestible and deliver good performance.

What is important to remember is that you can’t tell the quality of dairy proteins or manufacturing processes on the label, so always use a trusted brand and talk to the manufacturer.

2. Labels are not always clear

Different types of whey vary in both protein and lactose content. For example, whey powder only contains 12.5-13% protein, compared to concentrated whey protein, which typically contains 35% protein.

Consequently, it’s important to realise that any whey powder in a finished milk formula will not contribute the same level of dairy protein to a calf compared with one based on concentrated whey protein. Concentrated whey protein also contains valuable bioactive proteins including immunoglobulins and lactoferrin which are essential for calf growth and health. It pays to spend time considering your CMR choice and seeking the advice of experts, including your feed merchant advisor or nutritionist.

If you would like some advice on different milk replacers suitable for your farm/feeding system, contact your local Feed For Growth business manager.

Select milk replacers carefully to ensure top calf development and growth.

3. What health packages are included?

Alongside the type of dairy protein included, it’s also important to choose a CMR that includes an appropriate additional health package to provide calves with an extra boost and help meet your rearing goals.

The hydrolysed yeast culture Celmanax™ can help mitigate the effects of a number of harmful pathogens. Calves supplemented with Celmanax™ have been shown to shed three times less crypto oocyst than those which are not, making it an ideal helping hand for calves facing on-farm challenges which can’t be overcome by improvements in management.

Incorporating a milk oligosaccharides – or natural milk sugar – can also positively influence the gut by feeding beneficial bacteria, helping to build a healthy gut and immune system.

It also positively influences the intestinal wall meaning the calf can absorb feed better and become more resilient.

A natural ingredient made from the resin of coniferous trees has also been found to supports the growth of beneficial microbiota in the intestine, whilst improving intestinal integrity.

These health ingredients all work alongside other well-known ingredients such as Butyrate and Gardion® which are used for their anti-inflammatory and pathogen inhibiting effects.

For more information and advice, contact your local Feed For Growth (Volac Milk Replacers Ireland Limited) business managers. Visit the Ireland Team page at www.feedforgrowth.com/contact-us.

Milk protein impact on fertility AND growth

Trial work carried out at AFBI Hillsborough found that dairy heifers fed concentrated whey protein pre-weaning had better fertility and calved in earlier than those fed whey-powder based CMR. Heifers were monitored until their third calving. Heifers fed concentrated whey protein CMR pre-weaning:

  • Were five days younger than those fed whey powder based CMRs at first breeding.
  • Only required 1.4 services per heifer versus two services in the whey powder group.
  • Had a first conception rate of 60% versus 50% in the whey powder group.
  • Calved 22 days earlier with 80% of that group calving down by 24 months of age compared to 33% of the whey powder-fed heifers.

    • Milk replacer gold standards

    The gold standard is to feed pre-weaned calves 50-57kg of a good quality CMR at:

  • 16-20% fat (anything over 20% fat can suppress starter intakes)
  • 23% protein (from quality skim or concentrate whey protein) is ideal for building lean muscle mass for dairy heifers
  • 900g of milk solids per day

    • In addition:

  • Provide palatable, fresh starter feed, water and chopped forage (3-4cm).
  • Consider incorporating a health package into a CMR to help support the gut – something that’s vital considering 70-80% of the body’s immune cells are in the gut.