milk replacer v ordinary milk cost.

satstheway

Anyone got a costing on this?
with x litres from bag costing €x versus Milk at €x.

Timmaay

Off the top of my head, milk replacer costs something around 26c/l, including the hot water etc.

mahoney_j

Feeding 750 grammes in 4.5 Ltrs water.29.5 cent/ltre .using pro calf

stanflt

Once a day costing 1.30 per calf compared to 1.65 on whole milk- suppose to be able to wean 20 days earlier which is where the real saving is

Bigger picture not always cost per litre

Panch18

The brother gave up using milk replacer about 7 or 8 years ago and the calves are doing way better on whole milk

Doing once a day now as well for the last 3 years and calves flying on it

wouldn't go back to milk replacer, no matter how much cheaper it is

mahoney_j

Panch18 wrote: »

The brother gave up using milk replacer about 7 or 8 years ago and the calves are doing way better on whole milk

Doing once a day now as well for the last 3 years and calves flying on it

wouldn't go back to milk replacer, no matter how much cheaper it is

Total opposite here,think calves are streets ahead of when they were on whole milk.feed is consistent daily whereas whole milk can vary.calves also weaned 10 days to 2 weeks earlier .virtually no digestive upsets as well.maby it was the type of replacer ye were feeding or perhaps mixing incorrectly or too hot???.still though if u think milk is better then fair enough I won't argue with you !!

Base price

I do not have experience of feeding a number of calves with whole milk so therefore can only comment on milk replacer.
Cost per litre for milk replacer is 23.5 c/lt. We buy in bulk, a pallet at a time (50 x 25kg bags) and pay on delivery. There is no additional cost for water heating as it is a by product from the range.
We have been using the same brand of milk replacer for the last 8 years and never had any issues with scours.
Get calves onto OAD (3l) and eating crunch asap.
I have spoken to dairy farmers who were feeding excess milk to FR bull calves in the last few weeks and a number of them had serious issues with calves scouring when cows went out to grass.

Panch18

mahoney_j wrote: »

Total opposite here,think calves are streets ahead of when they were on whole milk.feed is consistent daily whereas whole milk can vary.calves also weaned 10 days to 2 weeks earlier .virtually no digestive upsets as well.maby it was the type of replacer ye were feeding or perhaps mixing incorrectly or too hot???.still though if u think milk is better then fair enough I won't argue with you !!

I suppose tis whatever works for a fella, find the whole milk just as handy and doing better

Just found the calves seemed bunged up on the milk replacer - no bit of life about them at all.

I suppose the important thing about calves is doing whatever it takes to get them going as good as possible - whatever way the milk is

orm0nd

don't use replacer here, we're set up for whole milk feeding ,

at that we don't feed high levels as I feel rumen development is far more important than pushing the calf at a young age ,

our replacement heifers are all over 400 kgs at 14 months and there are some fr bullocks must be 450kgs , fit but not fat

Greengrass1

Working out cost herr of replacer vs whole milk.
Using replacer we'd gain an extra 470e in milk sales
buying a new water heater 950e
2 months of milk replacer we'd have saved the price of the heater

stanflt

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Working out cost herr of replacer vs whole milk.
Using replacer we'd gain an extra 470e in milk sales
buying a new water heater 950e
2 months of milk replacer we'd have saved the price of the heater

What size water heater did you buy- I'm just after putting in a new 300l Atlantic heater for 630 incl vat installed

Greengrass1

stanflt wrote: »

What size water heater did you buy- I'm just after putting in a new 300l Atlantic heater for 630 incl vat installed

Not bought yet it's the price that was givin for the one with bulk tank
200l.
water very hard here eats heating elements out in no time have to make sure it a
has an enclosed element

stanflt

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Not bought yet it's the price that was givin for the one with bulk tank
200l.
water very hard here eats heating elements out in no time have to make sure it a
has an enclosed element

The one I bought has an enclosed element - google it and it can be bought from any hardware store that sells triton showers- same importers based in maynooth- used to be in the hardware game as a sales rep

pat73

Does any one know who sells shine once a day in limerick

Timmaay

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Not bought yet it's the price that was givin for the one with bulk tank
200l.
water very hard here eats heating elements out in no time have to make sure it a
has an enclosed element

Hmmm same problem here before, very high lime in the water. We tried a few enclosed stainless steel heaters, zero joy with them either, would only last 9 months. I ended up going back to the normal cheap element, and replacing it every 6 months. Only cost 25e or so each. We got a water softener last yr, and had a grant for a water heater so splashed out on a 300l heater, still going strong now, but I'd have happily stuck with replacing the cheap element every 6 months otherwise.

Carrigogunnell

roches feed dock road.