Calf Milk Replacers: Good, Better, and Best

Choosing the milk replacer formulation is arguably one of the most critical decisions in the success of a calf-raising operation. Not only does the choice affect the immediate financial bottom line of the enterprise, but the long-term health and performance of the calves as well. Often, it’s a delicate dance between the two. So, what makes a “good” calf milk replacer? And what factors can make it even better? Some criteria to consider are: 

(1)   Good – If your goals are driven primarily by cost, alternative protein sources can be used to create quality milk replacers without sacrificing calf health. Soy protein isolate (SPI) is the highest-quality fraction of the high-protein soybean seed, and calves can perform very well on it. The same is true for wheat protein isolate (WPI). But steer clear of soy flour and wheat flour -- they are not the same as protein isolates. While flours are low in cost, the damage they can cause to calves’ digestive tracts and their nutrient absorption ability far outweighs the price savings. Read tags carefully to determine the true protein source. Simply listing “wheat” or “soy” is not enough information and is a probable indication of low-quality ingredients. In terms of protein-to-fat ratio, our baseline recommendation for a good milk replacer is 20% protein, 20% fat. 

(2)   Better – Milk replacers containing all-milk-based ingredients will more closely mimic Mother Nature in the calf. Dairy-based protein sources -- like whey protein concentrate (WPC), whey protein isolate (WPI), and skim milk powder -- are highly digestible for calves. They meet their nutritional needs very well, especially if the formulation is balanced for essential amino acids like lysine and methionine. Some calf raisers choose to feed all-milk formulations for the first 21 days of life, then switch to less costly, high-quality alternative proteins until weaning. Raising protein percentage to 22-24% while keeping fat at around 20% has been shown to improve growth rates and achieve higher weaning weights.  

(3)   Best – All-milk formulations can be enhanced further with easily added supplements like ClariFly® for fly control; and Deccox or Bovatec to prevent coccidiosis and boost feed efficiency. Adding plasma can support immune function and sometimes brings down the price of the formulation slightly because it also can replace part of the protein fraction. Many producers also have seen excellent results by adding mannan oligosaccharides (MOS), prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics to support excellent gut health and nutrient absorption. Ramping up the protein level further – to as high as 28% -- can accelerate lean tissue development and stature growth, especially when fed at accelerated rates. Calf operations that embrace this type of feeding strategy typically are using it to raise replacement heifers that they intend to evolve into high-producing dairy cows.

It is challenging to assess which milk replacer formulation is “good” or “better” than another, because that designation will depend on each operation’s goals and even the type of animals they are raising. Beef-cross calves headed eventually to the feedlot, for example, will likely perform better and more cost-efficiently on a different formulation compared to purebred replacement heifers.

In any case, Strauss Feeds strives to ensure that every bag of milk replacer we manufacture meets a trusted baseline in terms of ingredient quality, balanced nutrition, product safety, particle size, fat emulsion, and total consistency.

In addition to our high quality standards for ingredients, we use only organic, chelated mineral sources, which have been proven to be more available and readily absorbed by preweaned calves. They also do not build up in the liver and thus do not cause long-term toxicity issues.

Talk with Strauss Feeds today to help determine the “best” formulation to meet your calf operation’s needs.

---

RECENT POSTS

---