Pre-Weaning Nutrition Archives

Amino Acids in Calf Milk Replacer

Calf nutrition goes beyond crude protein levels. This article explains why amino acid balance, milk replacer ingredients, and processing methods are key to healthy growth. Learn how to choose a high-quality calf milk replacer that boosts early development and long-term dairy herd performance.

Beef cross calves thrive on two step feeding regime

A two-step approach to calf milk replacer (CMR) feeding has helped a Leicestershire dairy farm cut calf deaths to under 2% and lower the incidence of scour. John Greaves and his family run a herd of 220 all-year-round calving Holstein Friesians at Lodge Farm. It is an 800-acre mixed dairy, beef and arable farm. They […]

How to get the best out of automatic calf feeders: Part 2

Following on from our previous article on automatic calf feeders, this part focuses on the calf management practices needed to get the most out of machine feeding. The Importance of Excellent Stockmanship It is more important than ever that the right person is dedicated to looking after the calves. A good stockperson will physically check […]

How to get the best out of automatic calf feeders: Part 1

An automatic calf feeder can be a powerful tool for feeding large numbers of calves efficiently. They help reduce manual labor and improve consistency. But to fully benefit, careful setup, calibration, and monitoring of the automatic calf feeder are essential. There are important protocols that need to be followed to maximise the benefits these machines […]

Scrutinising the crude fat, fibre and ash content in CMRs

Understanding and interpreting the label on a bag of calf milk replacer (CMR) is often confusing as when it comes to legal requirements, manufacturers need only declare the ingredients in descending order of inclusion. Many omit to state if the product is detailed as freshweight or as dry matter (DM). Due to rapid advances in […]

The true value of correctly processing milk proteins in a calf milk replacer

Farmers put trust in the label on a bag of calf milk replacer (CMR), believing that higher percentages of crude protein will enable their calves to grow quicker, but the ingredients listed can be misleading. Never assume that more protein is always better as the way in which milk-derived ingredients are processed has a huge […]

Feeding calf milk replacer cuts dairy farm’s GHG emissions and rearing costs

Feeding heifer replacements calf milk replacer (CMR) instead of cow’s milk is allowing a Warwickshire dairy farm to capture environmental and financial wins.

The developing microbiome and calf health

The gut microbiome in calves is important for growth and health, and has a key role in nutrition, immune function, and gut barrier integrity.

The hidden values of providing calves with dry feed alongside milk or milk replacer during the pre-weaning period

Getting the balance right between milk and dry feed during the pre-weaning phase is vital to ensure you produce an animal that can grow and develop their rumen at the same time to avoid any post-weaning checks and ill-health later. Feeding large volumes of milk for too long during the pre-weaning phase can be detrimental […]

Milk Feeding Calves Once a Day Versus Twice a Day

Once a day milk feeding after 28 days of age is a very popular choice amongst many farmers across the world. But there are definitely a few things which must be adhered to so that the calves perform optimally.