Hannah Glyn-Jones

Whole milk is still fed to calves routinely on dairy farms in some capacity or another. But what constitutes “whole milk”?

Aroma and taste play vital roles in calf nutrition, increasing palatability linked with increased feed intake. 

Our trusted Start'n'Wean formulation now includes a unique Apple Molplus flavour and aroma. Molplus is an appetite enhancer with a rich aroma and caramel taste. Based on the same sensory profile as molasses. Primarily, the way a feed smells and tastes is critical in determining feed palatability. Calves, like all animals, possess highly developed senses of smell and taste, which guide their feeding behaviour increasing overall feed intake. 

Optimising starter feed intake in calves is crucial for their growth and development, laying the foundation for healthy adulthood. From the very start,  attention to key factors such as bedding, taste, the weaning process, and water availability can significantly impact a calf's appetite and overall health.

Delve into each of these key factors, exploring practical strategies to maximise starter feed intake and set calves on the path to robust health and vitality.

“In June 2023 we started a complete overhaul of calf management at Bengrove Farm, in an attempt to combat calf disease and mortality rates. We did this while feeding Wynngold™ Bloom and were successful in our initial goals. 

In a further push for increased performance, we found that our growth rates would not exceed 0.55 kg/day DLWG. In August, the decision was made - with the help of the Wynnstay Youngstock Team - to switch to Wynngold™ Supernova milk replacer. The increase in vigour and reduction in nutritional scour was immediate with a gradual and consistent increase in growth rates.

We are very pleased with the overall results from feeding Supernova and are incredibly happy to end the year with a DLWG of 0.82 kg/day.”

Not all lamb milk replacements are the same. Following colostrum feeding, the choice of a lamb milk replacer for artificially reared lambs is an important consideration. A digestible, carefully formulated milk replacer can help lambs to achieve their full growth potential to develop into strong, robust lambs which continue to perform.

Calf housing is a huge part of calf health and welfare, it can be the change that many systems need to improve their calf rearing. In September, DEFRA launched a £10 million infrastructure grant to fund calf housing, available to new and upgraded calf housing. Improvements such as ventilation, protection from draughts, and suitable temperature and humidity will be key areas to focus on. 

Measuring the growth rate in youngstock, is one of the most significant ways to measure overall performance. By calculating average daily gain (ADG) we can work out how well the youngstock are growing and use the information as a method of monitoring whether you are using the right feeds. When rearing dairy calves or beef calves, it is important that they grow in an efficient way to meet their target bulling weights or finishing weights on time. Using weigh bands or weighing scales on young calves will give a good indicator of how the calves are progressing and show average daily gain. This will highlight any issues that are preventing calves from reaching sufficient weight. Monitoring growth is also a way to identify problems with your system and rearing protocols.