How much milk replacer to use

Teddy 1234

How much milk replacer does a calf need roughly, during the rearing stage up 12 weeks or so. Would people use 1 and half or 2 bags?

_Brian

1 bag is plenty, if you get them onto 1kg meal and water less than a bag is fine.

I think if your rearing replacment dairy cows you might warrant spending more as I think it effects first cycle dates which is a big deal for dairy, time is money and all that.

mahoney_j

_Brian wrote: »

1 bag is plenty, if you get them onto 1kg meal and water less than a bag is fine.

I think if your rearing replacment dairy cows you might warrant spending more as I think it effects first cycle dates which is a big deal for dairy, time is money and all that.

Feeding 45/47 kg on average and weaning at about 10 weeks ,first 10/12 weeks is most efficient time to feed an ainmal and set it up for life so no point skimping

_Brian

mahoney_j wrote: »

Feeding 45/47 kg on average and weaning at about 10 weeks ,first 10/12 weeks is most efficient time to feed an ainmal and set it up for life so no point skimping

I’ve done it both ways and at a year there’s no difference, 1 bag Vs 2 bags for hex bulls, yes they’re stronger at weaning, but by the time they’re yearlings there was no difference.

Getting them eating straw, 1kg meal and drinking fresh water is the biggest factor I found.

But whatever works, it would also depend on the quality of the milk replacer.

Reggie.

Teddy 1234 wrote: »

How much milk replacer does a calf need roughly, during the rearing stage up 12 weeks or so. Would people use 1 and half or 2 bags?

I'd end up using 2.2 bags per calf till 10 weeks old