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I am feeding 8oz dry weight milk replacer in 2 quarts of water twice a day. I have heard that you could do it once if you double the milk replacer and add one more quart of water. Does this work? At what age would it be best? (Could get someone to feed once a day but not twice if we are out of town.) The calf is about 5 days old.
Last Updated: August 29, 2007
Large-breed calves need 1 lb. of replacer/day and could be accomplished with 1x feeding. However, once a day feeding is usually not recommended because producers spend less time observing calves. Research suggests it is possible to get equal calf performance with 1x/day feeding compared to 2x, but it requires a higher level of management. Evidence indicates that scouring and fluctuating feed intake may occur when milk/milk replacer is provided in one large meal than in more frequent, smaller meals. If you decide to feed 1x/day wait until the calf is 10 to 14 days old, provide free acess to water and a good quality calf starter. During extremely cold weather or with weak calves it is recommended to feed 2x to 3x/day. Always use a good quality milk replacer.
Dave Fischer, U of I Dairy Educator - Illini DairyNET
J.W. Schroeder, NDSU Dairy Extension
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