Rearing of dairy cattle 1. Type and level of milk substitute offered once daily to calves

Abstract

SUMMARY A simple feeding system for British Friesian dairy female calves was examined. It involved once-daily feeding of a fixed amount of milk substitute to calves from 5 to 32 days of age. A comparison was made between low-fat and high-fat milk substitutes each offered at three levels of feeding. Performance was measured for a further 28 days after weaning. There was a greater incidence of nutritional scours in calves given the low-fat diets and also in those at higher levels of feeding. Live-weight gain to weaning and to 60 days was greater on the high-fat diets and at the higher levels of feeding. Intakes of concentrates, hay and water were little affected by type or level of milk-substitute feeding. Total feed costs over the 8-week period were greater for the high-fat diets and for the higher levels of feeding, but feed costs/kg live-weight gain were similar for the low-and high-fat diets. The results indicate that low levels of a high-fat milk substitute should be offered when using a once-daily feeding system in order to ensure a low incidence of nutritional scours and relatively low feed costs.