How to dilute milk powder per 1 liter of water and proportions for calves, the best milk replacers

CCM is an artificial mixture on a protein basis, enriched with vitamins, microelements, fats, antibiotics, intended for feeding young cattle. The use of powdered milk for calves is a necessary measure on livestock farms, used when there are problems with lactation in a cow or when it is necessary to save on feeding young animals. The artificial product is close to natural in composition and is convenient for storage and transportation.

What does milk powder contain?

Cattle breeders receive their main profit from the sale of dairy products. But almost 10% of the milk produced by cows is sucked by calves. In order to save production and increase the percentage of products sold, farmers feed young cattle with a dry analogue. Substitutes are cheaper than cow's milk, but contain all the substances necessary for the full development of calves.

A high-quality analogue of whole cow's milk is based on:

• whey remaining from the production of fermented milk products;
• skim milk – separated skimmed milk;
• buttermilk – low-fat cream separated during the production of butter.

Powdered milk may contain additional components:

• lactose – milk sugar;
• casein – milk protein;
• lactoferrin is a multifunctional protein contained in the secretion of the mammary glands;
• other analogues of milk protein (plasma, wheat, soy, flax, egg white);
• vegetable or animal fat (palm and soybean oil, melted lard);
• immunoglobulins – blood plasma antibodies;
• organic and saturated fatty acids;
• vitamins (A, C, E, D, K, group B);
• mineral elements (potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, selenium and others);
• growth stimulants;
• antibiotics;
• probiotics, lactic acid bacteria;
• yeast;
• Wheat flour;
• dert – crushed grain;
• premixes;
• blood;
• sapropel – lake algal silt.

The specific list of additives is determined by the brand of the product and its intended use for a specific age category of young animals. The formula that determines the energy value of artificial milk is shown in the table in comparison with a natural cow product.

Benefits and harms

Powdered milk substitutes are profitable and convenient, so they are becoming increasingly in demand.

The popularity of milk replacer is due to its beneficial properties:

• maintaining the health and immunity of calves;
• saturating the growing body with the optimal amount of vitamins and minerals;
• increasing the survival rate of newborn offspring;
• excluding the possibility of the calf contracting an infection (which is possible through the udder of a sick cow).

Harm to the health of the calf is possible in the following cases:

• if you feed the animal with an incorrectly prepared mixture;
• if the product's expiration date is not observed (it does not last long);
• when blood is included in a mixture of questionable quality (if the component is taken from the body of livestock infected with an infectious disease, then there is a high probability of destroying all the young animals);
• if the composition contains cheap substances of plant origin (they may negatively affect the functioning of the calf’s delicate digestive tract).

How to choose a replacement product

The dry product is made from whole milk by drying. The substitute for feeding calves is low-fat and whole. Both types of milk are balanced in composition, have a list of components that is practically indistinguishable from a natural product, the difference lies only in the concentration of nutrients and the content of additional substances.

There are products on the market for feeding calves with different fat contents. The most popular are dry mixtures with 10, 15, 20% fat content. In a quality product, proteins should prevail over fats. Based on the protein basis, milk replacers are divided into:

• buttermilk;
• buttermilk-whey;
• enriched (based on whey, vegetable protein - soy, wheat);
• fermented (based on fermented whey, acidophilus and propionic bacteria);
• fermented milk powder (based on acidophilus lactobacilli).

Refills from modern manufacturers are divided into 3 categories based on consistency:

1. Dry - powder, diluted with water for drinking.
2. Concentrated - similar to powder. But they are more saturated with nutrients and useful additives. Therefore, a smaller portion of powder is required to obtain a solution.
3. Liquid - ready-made substitutes based on low-fat whey.

On large farms it is more convenient to use powder preparations. The liquid mixture has a shorter shelf life and cannot be purchased for large livestock. It is not worth buying a cheap, low-quality product to save money. It probably contains soy flour, which can cause diarrhea and disruption of the digestive tract in a month-old calf.

In what proportions and how is it diluted?

To properly dilute the product, you should follow the recommended dosage for calves of a certain age indicated in the table.

The indicated proportions are standard, but before diluting the powder, you should carefully read the manufacturer’s recommendations on the packaging.

Instructions for use may differ from the standard, which is due to the component composition of a particular powdered milk.

For example, a product containing more fat in a standard dosage causes diarrhea in a calf, and when consuming milk with a reduced content of nutrients, the microflora of the digestive tract can be disrupted.

Preparing milk powder is simple, you need:

1. Take fresh and clean water.
2. Prepare the solution in glasses and bottles, previously disinfected with boiling water.
3. To prepare the skim milk, divide the water: heat 2/3 to approximately 50 °C, leave 1/3 at room temperature.
4. Dissolve the powder in heated water and stir until smooth.
5. Pour the second part of water into the concentrate to obtain a solution with a temperature of 38-40 °C.
6. Give to the calf immediately after cooking.

Do not dilute the dry mixture in cold water and then heat it, otherwise the powder will clump together. It is unacceptable to overheat the liquid, otherwise the proteins contained in the milk will curdle.

Rules for using milk replacer for calves at home

If a cow cannot produce colostrum after lambing, then the calf can be given a milk replacer from the first days of life. It is permissible to use milk replacer as a supplement to the diet when the baby is at least 10 days old. Until this time, it is important for the calf to receive maternal colostrum, rich in vitamins and amino acids - substances that form immunity.

The daily intake rate for a 2-week-old baby is 7 liters of milk (1 kg of dry product). From the age of one month, the daily portion becomes, respectively, 5 liters (750 g). The nutritional value of 1.1 kg of dry matter corresponds to 10 liters of cow's milk. When diluting, take 110 g of powder for each liter of water. There are 2 options for feeding a calf: with late (12-week) separation from the mother and with early (5-week) separation. In case of late separation, the following drinking regimen is optimal:

• first week – 5 liters of maternal colostrum per day and the minimum dosage of the substitute;
• Week 2 – 6 liters of milk and 7 liters of milk replacer;
• Week 5 – minimal portion of milk, artificial product – 8 liters;
• 6 months – 6 liters of substitute;
• 12 months – 4 l.

Algorithm for drinking during early separation:

• first week – 3-6 liters of maternal colostrum per day, 6 liters of milk replacer;
• Week 2 – 6 liters of milk and milk substitute;
• from 3 to 8 weeks - exclusion of milk from the diet, the portion of the substitute remains unchanged;
• 3 months – exclusion of dairy products from the diet, transition of the animal to adult food.

During milk feeding, the calf eats 30-42 kg of milk powder.

Popular brands

Cattle breeding is a developed and promising industry, so cow's milk substitutes are in demand on the market. Products manufactured by domestic and foreign companies differ in the main protein component, the presence of animal and plant additives, and cost. The leaders in the production of high-quality dry substitutes are Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Products manufactured in these countries are shown in the table.

Domestic companies also produce good products for feeding calves. Rating of the best Russian brands of milk powder:

1. "Mologa" (JSC "Moloko", Tver region).
2. “Kormilak” (Tagris LLC, Moscow).
3. "Calvomilk" (JSC "Mustang Feeding Technologies", Smolensk region).
4. "Milkovit" (LLC "Spectrum", St. Petersburg).
5. “Prolak 16” (Dairy Standard LLC, Saratov).

The dry product "Prolac 16" should be diluted according to the standard proportion, and not according to the instructions indicated on the packaging bag, otherwise the calf may have diarrhea. Products from foreign manufacturers are more expensive because they contain vitamins, minerals, and premixes.

Errors during use

Most often, farmers make the following mistakes when using dry mixtures to feed calves:

1. To save money, they buy cheap products with vegetable proteins and fats, which are poorly digested in the digestive tract of calves.
2. Do not observe the temperature for preparing the milk solution (you should use a cooking thermometer).
3. The dosage of the powder is violated (it is advisable to use a kitchen scale).
4. They do not follow the drinking regime (30 minutes after feeding, the calf should be given water for better absorption of the concentrated product).
5. Calves are given water from a bucket, and not from a bottle with a nipple (when the calf does not suck, but laps, not enough saliva is produced, the drink is poorly absorbed, and diarrhea occurs).
6. They do not follow the feeding regime (food is better absorbed when young animals eat at the same hours every day).
7. Give drink from unwashed dishes.
8. Leave the unfinished milk mixture for another day (the product quickly deteriorates and pathogenic microorganisms begin to multiply in it).

There is no better nutrition for a calf than mother's milk, but milk replacers become a lifesaver for a farmer who keeps a large herd and tries to sell as many dairy products as possible and reduce their cost. The main thing is to buy high-quality analogues of milk from popular and reputable manufacturers, so as not to encounter poisoning and digestive disorders in young animals.