Whey powder can cut calf rearing costs

Feeding whey-based milk powder to artificially reared beef calves could reduce feed costs by £1.94 a calf, compared to when skimmed milk powder is fed, according to research.

Although most milk replacers on the market are whey based, some commercial calf rearers believe feeding skimmed milk-based powders rather than whey-based milk replacers improves performance, says Harper Adams University College senior lecturer Simon Marsh.

“Skim milk powders typically cost some £150/t more than whey powder. However, some rearers believe performance is improved and calves have a better coat bloom, which is why we wished to investigate whether there were any cost and performance benefits in feeding the more expensive skimmed milk powder,” explains Mr Marsh, in a study funded by The Calf Company.

Holstein and Continental cross Holstein bull calves were reared the same from birth and after four-days were placed on either a skim- or whey-based milk replacer. Both milk replacers were fed at the same quantity and temperature, before calves were weaned gradually at 46 days old. Fresh water, an 18% crude protein early weaning concentrate and straw were also offered ad lib from seven days old to both treatment groups.

However, despite the difference in prices between the two products, some of the production benefits were quite significant, as Mr Marsh explains. “Although calves in both treatments exceeded the target for rearing calves to 12 weeks of 115kg, the calves reared on the whey-based powder gained an extra 3.8kg in liveweight to 12 weeks of age.

“This is likely because although concentrate intakes were not significantly different from start to weaning, calves on the whey based milk replacer recorded higher intakes from weaning to 12 weeks and overall consumed an extra 13.6kg more concentrates a calf,” says Mr Marsh.

This increased concentrate intake could be due to improved rumen development, he adds. “The ingredients in the whey-based powder tuned up the enzyme systems for conversion of calves from a monogastric to a ruminant. This means at weaning, they hit the ground running and so would explain the increased consumption of concentrates and the 3.8kg increase in liveweight gain to 12 weeks.”

But despite whey powder costing less, some of the savings were negated by the increase in concentrates consumed. “However, despite this, feed costs were reduced from 95.5 to 87.4p/kg or £1.94 a calf based on costs prevailing at the time of the study. Plus, when the 3.8kg liveweight gain – calculated at a cost of £1.50/kg liveweight, which works out at £5.70/calf – is factored in, the net benefit from feeding whey powder works out at £7.64/calf.”

So even though skim-fed calves did record a higher coat bloom, which could influence buyers at a market, the extra cost from feeding whey powder far outweighs any extra costs that could be gained from a better coat bloom score.”