|
|
Nutrition By Dr. John Underwood
Temper milk replacer costs with alternative protein
Due to the rapid increase in the price of milk replacer products for dairy calves, many producers are looking for ways to reduce the cost of raising dairy replacements. One alternative is to look at milk replacers that have less milk-based proteins and more plant and animal-based proteins.
Milk proteins are the highest quality proteins for calves less than 3 weeks of age because milk-based proteins have a digestible, desirable amino acid profile. And they don’t have factors that inhibit proper digestion and utilization.
However, due to the increased demand for these proteins in human diets, the cost of milk protein ingredients have made milk replacers more expensive.
Other protein sources have been evaluated for their appropriateness in dairy calf diets. Soy proteins show the most promise due to their generally favorable amino acid profile, lower cost and availability. The downside to soy proteins is anti-nutritional factors that lower digestibility.
Wheat and potato proteins have also been evaluated for calf diets, but, like soy proteins, have some digestibility problems. Animal proteins that have been considered include plasma proteins, egg proteins and fish flour (from fish meal). In research trials, plasma proteins show promise due to acceptable weight gains and consumption. Other animal proteins have shown inconsistent benefits and are generally not recommended.
Listed below are common milk replacer protein products and their classification as practical usefulness in calf diets.
While milk-based proteins are superior in calf milk replacers for digestibility and acceptance by the calf, some alternative protein sources show promise in reducing calf raising costs while obtaining adequate growth.
Producers should evaluate the tag on milk replacer products and ask their milk replacer supplier if non-milk proteins are included. If there are other proteins, the proteins used should be evaluated for performance of the calves.
If calf performance is greatly reduced, the overall cost will be higher than if all-milk proteins are used.
That is why it is important not to reduce calf performance to the degree that it would put the calf at risk for health disorders or impaired performance as a lactating cow.
Contact your MFA representative for more information on how to evaluate milk replacers to get the most value for your money.
Click here to respond to this article
|
|
