Feeding Archives - Page 2 of 4

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 […]

How to keep calves growing and thriving post-weaning

Maintaining attention to heifer calf health and performance post-weaning is vital to avoid losing gains already made and to keep them on track [...]

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.

Survey demonstrates calf rearers recognise value of transition milk

Growing numbers of farmers are understanding the value of transition milk to the health and future potential of their calves. A recent survey by Bonanza Calf Nutrition found that more than three quarters of the farmers who responded – 94 out of 123 participants – fed transition milk, the highly nutritious and immune-boosting milk produced […]

Updates on calf passive immune status and colostrum management

Targets for serum IgG concentrations in calves at 24 hours old have been increased in an attempt to combat the high morbidity and mortality levels that still persist in rearing systems. It had been thought that achieving 10g/litre IgG in calf blood serum at 24 hours of age was adequate while less than 10 g/litre […]

Careful collection of colostrum and transition milk is critical for calf health

Colostrum and transition milk (TM) should always be at the forefront of calf rearers' minds. We are very aware of the importance and value of first milking colostrum for transferring IgG into the calf’s blood.

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.

So, what’s in transition milk that makes it so good?

Baby calves that are fed colostrum for their first two feeds and then abruptly switched to whole milk or a replacer miss out on a very significant nutritional stage linked to transition milk.