Boost the performance of your newborn calf!
After a calf is born one of the most important things to look after is the intake of colostrum. The intake must be quickly, sufficient and often. Feeding a well-balanced milk replacer is necessary for optimal calf performance after the colostrum period.
A milk replacer should be of high-quality and must fit the requirements of the calf. The composition should be created in such way that it results in optimal growth and health. A well composed product and a suiting feeding schedule will result in a healthy and productive start of the calf’s life.
Solubility, consistency, intake and digestibility are very important factors to define the quality of a milk replacer. A milk replacer must have a good palatability, for optimal feed intake. It should be neutral in aroma. Intake should be high from the beginning and the product must be attractive for the calf.
Solubility of a high-quality milk replacer must be good. After mixing the milk replacer with water there should not arise any small lumps in the liquid. If small lumps are present in the composition it can result in digestibility issues. Most of the milk replacers dissolve poorly below 50 degrees. A high-quality product remains well soluble at +/- 40 degrees, which is the correct / optimal feeding temperature.
One of the most common health problems of calves is diarrhoea. To keep the gut-intestinal tract in good condition the milk replacer must be easily digestible and have a positive effect on the gut microbiota. That is why it is key to produce the milk replacer from highly digestible ingredients as this is the most important factor in reducing diarrhoea and optimizing feed intake. The quality level of a milk replacer is not determined by the highest level of ingredients included, but much more by the quality of the ingredients used.
Interested in a premium-quality milk replacer? Try our DufaFeed Calf Milk-Rep!
More product information: product, feed instructions.
Questions or inquiries? Please contact us by e-mail: sales@dutchfarmint.com
