How much milk (milk replacer) do you feed calves?

PMU · 24-03-2012 11:55am #1

how much milk (milkreplacer) do you feed calves? mine are on 2 1/2 lts twice a day and they still look thin. 3-4 weeks old and on a half kg meal + hay.

whelan1 · 24-03-2012 11:59am

PMU wrote: »

how much milk (milkreplacer) do you feed calves? mine are on 2 1/2 lts twice a day and they still look thin. 3-4 weeks old and on a half kg meal + hay.

what does it say on the bag?

PMU · 24-03-2012 12:07pm

i see from the journal where mel keenan feeds 2 gallon3 thru an auto feeder.
also , suckler calves must drink as much as they like and they grow better than mine

bbam · 24-03-2012 2:04pm

You can't compare them to suckled calves. It's a different system.

Follow the instuctions on the bag for a start.

Get them onto a KG of meal ASAP. Then get them off milk as soon as you can. Start them on grass and meal for the summer.

They're going to look smaller than suckled calves no matter what you do.

PMU · 24-03-2012 2:43pm

i am following the instructions to the letter, thats not the problem.last year i used yogurt milk and they thrived better. they just look thin

whelan1 · 24-03-2012 3:13pm

PMU wrote: »

i am following the instructions to the letter, thats not the problem.last year i used yogurt milk and they thrived better. they just look thin

what breed are they? are they bought in, do they need a mineral lick?

PMU · 24-03-2012 5:02pm

homebred holsteins and jex. going out to grass tomorrow

20silkcut · 24-03-2012 6:44pm

I feed mine 2 and a half litres of golden maverick twice a day I just follow the back of the bag. I throw in a few scoops of milkshake powder as well. Am starting to wean some of the stronger ones now. They have all had 1 bag per head so far and are going through about 16 kg of meal a day between 20 of them with the stronger ones eating over a kilo per head. They are grazing as well and eating hay.
Some say 1 bag per head is enough but I have reached that stage and I know if I stop the milk replacer now they will bawl the place down. I am guessing 2 more weeks of once a day feeding on the strong lads should see them off it.
With about another 2 weeks of twice a day feeding on the weaker ones followed by 2 weeks of once a day. All these calves are January born.

PMU · 24-03-2012 8:31pm

It is recommended that they weigh 100kgs at weaning,a bit less for xbreeds. my early feb calves are nowhere this

mattthetrasher · 25-03-2012 11:05am

i gave them about 2 gallons this year on auto feeder .have them on jfc teat feeders at the moment for whole milk,getting 1.5 gallons and nuts will halve that next week with only one feed per day. used to give 5 ltrs only but to be honest after giving them 2 gallons and see the difference 5 litres is not enough imo

How much milk (milk replacer) do you feed calves?

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