What milk powders for dairy heifers ?

[Cuthbert]

Which brands are best quality/value. We have been using maximise off MVF (blue bags) this has been fine just wondering if we should be trying something else.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

I think that milk powder is a bit like silage additives. In that each company all claim to sell " the best".

As long as your calves are healthy, fit and growing well and the powder is price competitive relative to its ingredients/spec. Why change?

 

[som farmer]

why not used acidified milk ? garrantee it's cheaper, and will match any powder.

 

[Bald Rick]

Switched away from whey based to skim and are seeing much less scouring despite pushing 150g/litre.
Calfhood is the time to get the best responses and set her up for life so personally don’t skimp on powder. Currently use Wynnstay Elixir

 

[More to life]

why not used acidified milk ? garrantee it's cheaper, and will match any powder.

Cheaper!

 

[More to life]

Switched away from whey based to skim and are seeing much less scouring despite pushing 150g/litre.
Calfhood is the time to get the best responses and set her up for life so personally don’t skimp on powder. Currently use Wynnstay Elixir

I use bonanza powder but have done the same switching to skim at 150g/liter way better calves but I don’t like the price.

 

[Bald Rick]

I use bonanza powder but have done the same switching to skim at 150g/liter way better calves but I don’t like the price.

We use bonanza for the first 10 days then switch to Elixir. I tried not using the bonanza but did find the calves didn’t thrive as well but bear in mind we are jerseys so they don’t have the same amount of brown fat as other breeds and so need a bit more TLC

 

[som farmer]

the first 10 weeks or so of a calves life, gives you the best growth rate to feed of the calves life, so why not give it the best feed, and not worry about saving a few £ ?

 

[Jamer]

We use top end Britmilk for dairy heifers. High percentage of dairy inclusion but lower protein than some as a result. Acdified whole milk lack of Johnes control puts me off trying it.

 

[som farmer]

We use top end Britmilk for dairy heifers. High percentage of dairy inclusion but lower protein than some as a result. Acdified whole milk lack of Johnes control puts me off trying it.

there's quite a lot of trials in other countries, that are saying, johns is killed off, as long as it is left 3 days before using, anyway we test for johns , so any cow showing med or high does not get used for a/c milk.

 

[Jamer]

there's quite a lot of trials in other countries, that are saying, johns is killed off, as long as it is left 3 days before using, anyway we test for johns , so any cow showing med or high does not get used for a/c milk.

I understand Johnes to be acidfast bacteria so where does the control come from?

 

[Princess Pooper]

We've used MVF Maximise for about 8 years now and perfectly happy with performance and price.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Switched away from whey based to skim and are seeing much less scouring despite pushing 150g/litre.
Calfhood is the time to get the best responses and set her up for life so personally don’t skimp on powder. Currently use Wynnstay Elixir

I always forgot which way around it was. Is skim better than whey or vice versa?

I was told years ago to avoid any milk powder containing vegetable protein as they cant really digest it. Its cheaper though.

Id sooner pay the few hundred quid extra for the 105 octane stuff.

 

[som farmer]

I understand Johnes to be acidfast bacteria so where does the control come from?

just quoting trials from finland, Canada, and the usa.
we have used it for several years, and like I said any cow with a med or high reading ain't used, it also kills off a lot of nasty bugs, and is easily broken down in the calf

 

[In the pit]

just quoting trials from finland, Canada, and the usa.
we have used it for several years, and like I said any cow with a med or high reading ain't used, it also kills off a lot of nasty bugs, and is easily broken down in the calf

What about the Jones that the tests don't pick up

 

[som farmer]

What about the Jones that the tests don't pick up

hope it kills it, we have good records, so would be unlikely, having done acid milk for several years, and used it and powder as a trial, we would be loathe to change back to powder

 

[sidjon]

Wouldn't trust powders to be free of johnes either, british products using British milk to make powder should have the lowest risk, but some milk powder made from non pasteurized milk so would be high risk, our vet has been telling us during tb testing to check sources of the milk powder.

 

[TheRanger]

What's everyone paying for calf milk powder?

Currently paying 25ppl (143g/l) for Carrs Billington Maximum

 

[Fergieman]

How do you make and then feed acidified milk?

 

[Cuthbert]

M V F maximise 1670 a ton