Common Calf Questions

Q. How well does our milk replacer mix?

A. Water and fat do not mix well, but our products are manufactured by gentle agglomeration (Quik Mix). Small fat droplets with air pockets are coated with milk protein, which allows the powder to rapidly disperse in water. Water temperature is very important for good mixing and should be between 110 and 115 degrees F. A hotter temperature can denature the protein, while a cooler temp may cause the fat to clump along the edges. A quick test of water temperature is to place your fingers in the water. You should be able to hold your fingers in for 5 seconds.

Q. Should I be using a medicated milk replacer?

A. Current research with neomycin/terramycin shows the same improvements in average daily gain as research conducted 30 years ago.

Q. Which is better to use in feeding milk replacer: a nipple or a bucket?

A. Research shows no difference between the feeding equipment. A nipple is a little harder to keep clean, but it is a little harder to train a calf to drink from a bucket.

Q. When should a calf be weaned?

A. Age at weaning varies from 3 to 12 weeks. The key is if the calf is eating enough starter to obtain the nutrients to keep healthy and growing. Often, especially in younger calves, reducing the milk replacer a few days ahead of weaning will encourage starter intake. 

Q. In cold weather do I need to increase the fat level in the milk replacer?

A. Shelter and bedding affect the answer, but generally a calf is having difficulty staying warm when temperatures dip below zero. Our products contain 20% fat, but research indicates higher fat % tends to reduce starter intake. With cold stress either add another feeding or increase the amount of powder by 20-50% with each feeding.

Q. Why is offering water so important? Don't they get water with the milk replacer?

A. As a calf drinks the milk replacer (or milk), a skin flap called the esophageal groove diverts the liquid to the abomasum. Drinking any relatively high solids (>5%) liquid stimulates this closure. Rumen microbes need a water environment to fully work, thus "free" water should be offered to the calf. This is critical to good starter consumption.

Q. What’s new with your milk replacers?

A. We now use selenium yeast as our selenium source. This organic source is more available to the calf. Selenium deficiency increases the risk of white muscle disease, weak calf syndrome, unthriftiness and lower growth rates.