Once-a-day (OAD) milk feeding is not just a labour-saving method suitable for healthy calves from 28 days of age, this system also promotes earlier rumen development, prepares calves for weaning and makes more time for calf husbandry.

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.

The awareness and importance of testing and feeding good-quality colostrum has become increasingly popular over the last few years. However, the colostrum storage and handling process is sometimes overlooked [...]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Calf mortality rate from birth to weaning has fallen to just 1.5% at a Dorset dairy farm since a new milk replacer made from low heat skim and buttermilk was introduced.