Ad-lib milk calf feeding

[FarmerK]

Is anyone feeding their bought in dairy X calves ad-lib off a machine?
Im looking into buying a machine to save time as I don’t have much spare time and feeding calves takes a long time.
Does anyone recommend a certain kind of machine?
Pros and cons of ad-lib milk feeding?

 

[HarryB97]

We have two heatwave milk warmers and 3 170litre JFC milk mixers. They drink a lot of milk and will quite easily average over 12 litres a day. You can either feed the recommended amount of milk powder per litre or bring it back a lot as they are still consuming a lot over the day. Make sure your drainage is good as what comes in has to come out again! Straw use will vary a lot depending on you pen size and layout. Despite them drinking lots weaning is very easy and the quite readily eat cake alongside their milk. I don't think our calfs do as well as they could as i feed a lower amount of milk powder per litre purley down to cost but the current batch we have in I am feeding more powder per litre as an experiment, it's to early to no the results yet. Cleaning the feed lines out each day is quick and easy, the mixers take a bit longer but they only get done twice per week unless the weathers warm. Filling up all the mixers with water can take a while but it's not the end of the world as you can bed up etc whilst they fill.

 

[Jonny_2]

Thinking of having a go with our Heatwave with my next lot of calves, we have one anyway for pet lambs and would like to save some time on a morning. How do you mange to wean them as thats my biggest concern.