Question about milk replacer

[Azriel]

All the milk replacer I can get a my local feed store is for calves from 2-60 days. What do you feed after 60 days? My oldest calf is getting close to 2 months and I don't feel she is ready to be weaned. I also have 3 choices of milk replacer formula- all soy protein, soy and milk protein mix, and all milk protein. Which is best? I've been using the soy/milk mix mainly because its the 1st one that I picked up when I got the calves and didn't see that there were different formulas, and both calves seem to be doing good. I also have the choice of medicated and non medicated. They have been on medicated, should I go to non medicated?
Both calves are eating sweet feed and pelleted calf starter free choice as well as alfalfa hay, and I put them out on grass as much as I can, these are beef calves (heifers) hopfully to be used for breeding when they get older, so I want to give them the best start I can.

 

[jhm47]

It seems that what you've been doing is working well, so don't change anything. I'd keep them on the same replacer for another month or so. The fact that they are eating dry feed is very good. I never feed sweet feed, just starter pellets, but if the sweet feed is working---keep on for awhile. The alfalfa hay is also good. Make sure they have access to a good source of salt and mineral. Oh--as a general rule, the all milk replacer is best. The soy product doesn't digest as well. Good luck!

 

[Azriel]

Thanks for the reply. The salt/mineral would have been my next question. I wasn't sure if the replacer had what they needed or not. What would be best for calves, the blocks or loose all purpose mineral. For my adult cow and yearling heifer I have a reg white salt block, a mineral block and the loose all purpose mineral. I know thats alot of choices, but I have always used the blocks for my horses, then I was told the cows needed the loose mineral, so I got some of that to.

 

[goodhors]

jhm47 gave you good advice on the milk replacer and starter feed. I never gave
ours sweet feed, but maybe you can use up what you have and then not get more.
I used the medicated, milk based milk replacer. Bottle babies can be SO FRAGILE
that I thought the higher expense was worth the protection added to the calf. Some
calves are just slower starters on the pellets than other animals. Being able to let them
graze will be a big benefit to developing a good digestive system in them! Something
about learning to eat grass and being out in the sun that helps growing babies.

I measured my loose minerals into the alfalfa pellets or feed as calves got older, fed them
individually to know they got what they needed. Usually there are directions on
the sack for quantity. I think our bottle calves were only getting small amounts,
1/8 teaspoon daily until sold at 500 pounds. I have no place to put out loose
minerals for them, so that was not an option.


The yearling heifer we bought, actually showed great improvement with the grazing and minerals
in her handful of plain corn and oats, lost all her warts! She had been on nice hay, but
they didn't have fields to graze. I think the minerals made a big difference, and I know
she ate them so they did her some good. She was a small animal, Dexter, so didn't get
more than 1/4 teaspoon of the minerals daily.

She packed on weight incredibly (to me anyway) that summer, mostly grazing.
Probably doubled or more, from almost 300#, to over 600 in about 7 months.
Shiny, glossy hair, really filled out. Her grain quantity was about 2 cups daily,
and was mostly to get the minerals into her. Selenium and Vit E, are especially
important to developing females, controls a lot of the reproductive system functions. In
our location, there is almost no Selenium in the soil, glaciers scraped it away, so we need
to feed it to livestock. Vit E is needed to let body absorb and use the Selenium, so you
have to feed both to get it working, along with other needed minerals and Vitamins. I don't
think they get enough just licking a block. Her heat cycles were regular, visible, what you
expect in a normal animal of her age. She had both white salt and mineral blocks available,
did use them too. I know horses don't get enough Selenium and Vit E just licking blocks,
you have to supplement them in the feed. So I expect the same is true with cattle in my location.

 

[Azriel]

Is there is a reason not to feed the sweet feed, they sure like it.

 

[california cowgirl]

Good question on the milk replacers!!! I found this forum to tell my story about milk replacers and the SOY is so hard for them they do not have the enzymes to digest it. But if yours are eating solid food then it is okay they are starting to ruminate and they get the enzyme then. In the future I stick with all milk replacer for the young ones and if they are on a good starter feed you can wean them in a month or two. Too early and they do not do as well. I have just gone around and around with Land O'Lakes and got a phone call yesterday from one of their top nutritionists and he did tell me that the cheap stuff goes to the feed stores and he agreed the soy stuff really should not even be sold. I had a bone to pick with him for sure and I think he is going to try and do something. I googled soy flour in calf milk replacers and got a lot of info and it is not good. Stick with all milk and they should be fine. I have never fed the medicated. But my calves were dying on the soy bloat and diareah thought we had a bad bug but he tests all came back negative and so onto the milk replacer it had soy flour...nasty stuff. Changed my milk hoping for a better winter.
sounds like your calves are doing great!!!