How to feed Calf Manna

[oldcluck]

I think what you have is the calf milk replacer. Calf manna is not milk replacer. It is a nutrient dense pelleted food. I got confused by the name too.
I grew up on a cattle farm and I could swear we used to by a milk replacer by that name or siimilar.

 

[shan777]

I think what you have is the calf milk replacer. Calf manna is not milk replacer. It is a nutrient dense pelleted food. I got confused by the name too.
I grew up on a cattle farm and I could swear we used to by a milk replacer by that name or siimilar.

Yep, exactly what I did, .... got the calf pellets now though and they love them. 20% protein

 

[Farmlady]

Wow ~ I feed way more than the tablespoon per bun. I mix it in with their regular pellets at a 3:1 ratio. 3 parts pellets and 1 part CM. I generally start feeding the does the mixed feed three days before their kindle date, and continue it until I wean the kits at 7 weeks. Since the kits are already eating the mixed rations, I continue them on it until they are 9-10 weeks or so and taper it off over the last week. It seems to help with the kits not fading a bit and avoiding illnesses. I've got NZs and Calis and mixes, and have been feeding this way since I started with rabbits. None are overweight ... is it really too much?

 

[DianeS]

Wow ~ I feed way more than the tablespoon per bun. I mix it in with their regular pellets at a 3:1 ratio. ... None are overweight ... is it really too much?

I don't know. I use it like vitamins, it's a suppliment to be used when a rabbit is expected to have a high level of stress or physical activity or illness. For instance, when one is going to kindle or begin nursing. It gives a high amount of nutrition but uses very little stomach space and very little time or energy to eat.

More might be better, or it might be worse. One of the problems with some suppliments/vitamins/minerals is that getting too much in your diet can lead to problems. Just like getting too little can lead to problems.

It's also more expensive than regular feed. It would be my goal to find out how little I could feed of that expensive food, while still getting the good results. I only feed it right before kindling and for a couple days afterward, and have never had "fading" or any of those other issues. I've never had kits that needed it at all.

It could be that you're getting better results, we can't tell about that over an internet board. But it also could be that you're spending more money for the same results, we can't tell about that over an internet board, either. That said, always do what you think best for your animals.

 

[Nathan Sampson]

Like others have said I would just top dress there feed with the powder.

 

[Prairiechick]

If someone knows something different, feeding too much protein can be taxing on the kidneys. In addition, if the animal doesn't need it, their body passes it on. So, with that line of thought, feeding that much Manna with pellets is not advantageous. This is like a good candy, feed a little with their regular feed, but it should not replace the required amount of pellets. As another poster said, a side dress.

 

[mooregenetics]

I've made the same mistake, except backwards. We have always known milk replacement as "calf manna". So when I told my wife to pick up calf manna(for a dogied calf) and she returned with pellets I was confused. It happens.

 

[lexibot]

what does this do for your rabbit????

 

[Prairiechick]

It provides more protein. I feed it to rabbits who are feeding a litter and those in molt. If you have one that has been sick and lost weight, it is a good way to help it along.

 

[Hutch]

I have the easiest solution. I don't feed calf manna to my rabbits. Never did and probably never will.

Rabbits have the most amazing digestive systems and can live on crap most people would mow down, rake away or burn as trash. You can't make rabbits be healthy you just let them be healthy.

I have seen the fat rabbits at rabbit shows and will probably never raise fat rabbits.