Over the past year dairy commodity markets have shown unprecedented volatility, and we have experienced some ingredients, such as skimmed milk powder and sweet whey powder, reaching historically high levels. This coupled with increasing vegetable oil prices mean that the cost of calf milk replacer (CMR) has continued to rise, which inevitably adds cost to calf rearing systems.
Diarrhoea in the young calf is a commonly occurring challenge on many farms. Recent research by MSD Animal Health, completed as part of their Youngstock Survey in 2020, indicated that 90% of dairy farms had experienced scour in calves in the previous 12 months and that over 65% had experienced mortality due to scour. Diarrhoea is reported as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in early life, which can result in significant economic losses and potential welfare challenges.
Trouw Nutrition GB Ruminant Specialist, Georgina Thomas, explains how the LifeStart Programme gives dairy producers the key to unlocking the full potential of their calves, leading to significant increases in herd productivity.
