Make Sure Your Milk Replacer Doesn’t Feel the Heat

Overheating in the summertime doesn’t just happen to calves and their caretakers. It can be a problem for calf milk replacer, too. When it comes to storage conditions, cold does not affect milk replacer. Even the most Arctic temperatures won’t disturb it. But overheating – above 95°F – can cause damage in a number of ways, including:

(1)   Flavor – Excessive heat can cause fats to re-liquify, at which point they start oxidizing. The result can be rancidity and off flavors that may affect intake by the calves.

 (2)   Digestibility – When fat in the milk replacer liquifies, free fatty acids are released. This makes the formulation less digestible, and can lead to digestive upsets, scours, and/or poor growth.

 (3)   Maillard reaction – Extreme heat and long storage time may cause a reaction between the amino acids and lactose called the Maillard reaction. It’s the same process that turns a piece of white bread brown when you make your morning toast. The milk replacer takes on a brown color and loses its sweetness. The protein component of the product will be denatured, compromising nutritional value of the product.

 (4)   Vitamin degradation – Vitamins can lose their potency in extreme heat, especially if it occurs for a prolonged period of time. This degrades an important element in the ration for optimal calf performance. Plus, you’ve paid for those ingredients, so their reduced efficacy represents a financial loss.

 (5)   Caking/solidifying – If the fat in milk replacer re-liquifies and then solidifies again, the product’s composition can be altered. It may range from mild caking to super-solid bags that resemble concrete. This product may be difficult to use, and will certainly not dissolve into solution as well as undamaged product.

Strauss Feeds Calf Milk Replacer

Ideal storage conditions for milk replacer are 40-75°F and < 65% humidity. Indoor, under-roof storage on-farm is recommended, versus modular storage containers that can accumulate excessive heat. Be sure to also store milk replacer away from direct heat sources like furnaces, heaters, and heat discharge vents.

Organic trace minerals are very stable in milk replacers even with long storage times. Trace minerals with sulfates (non-organic) will begin to decrease vitamin activity after a relatively short storage time if not handled properly, which is why Strauss Feeds only uses organic trace minerals in our premixes and products. Strauss uses the maximum allowed level of anti-oxidants in its edible fat ingredients to ensure a long shelf life. With optimal storage conditions we know our feed is highly shelf-stable for years.

Keeping batches of milk replacer fresh and turning them over frequently will reduce the risk of them becoming heat-damaged in storage. It is acceptable to store milk replacer for 24 months under good storage conditions, but a storage limit of 12 months is preferred.

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