Research
Strauss Feeds maintains a research facility near its Indiana offices for the purpose of
staying on the cutting edge in milk replacer technology. The facility has a capacity
in excess of 150 calves in a variety of housing types. Many different types of
research are conducted at the research farm, although our general interests fall into one
of four categories.
1. Alternative Ingredients
Traditional milk ingredients are rapidly
becoming more expensive due to increased usage in the human edible market.
Therefore we must constantly search for non-milk ingredients or non-traditional
milk ingredients to produce economical products that maintain or increase current
performance levels. Research testing of alternative ingredient formulas is required
to assure that the formula provides maximal performance. Some of our current and
past interests in this area include Isolated What Protein, Red Blood Cells, Egg Proteins,
Delactosed Whey, High Protein Whey Protein Concentrate, Permeate, and various mineral
sources.
2. Different Formulations
Traditional milk replacers usually rely on a
20% protein and 20% fat formulation fed at 1/2 pound of powder per two quarts of water fed
twice per day. Our research has led us in the direction of breaking this mold.
We examine different milk replacer formulations in different housing types and
under different environmental conditions to determine the optimal formulation for each
unique situation.
3. Additives
As regulations and public opinion continuously attack the
use of medications in animal feeds, we must be prepared with non-medicated alternatives to
fill the void. Extensive testing of these additives is needed to properly evaluate
their worth. Our interests in this area include probiotics/direct-fed microbials,
yeasts, and other plant extracts that may show promise in the area of calf health and
performance. We are also investigating antibody products and colostrum supplements.
4. Management Techniques
We are constantly testing different management
techniques and tools with the calves in the research facility. Vaccination regimes,
medication approaches and receiving procedures are examined for their effectiveness.
Although these are not generally the main thrust of our experiments, the
information we receive from these tests can provide valuable tips for our customers.
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