Milk replacer

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Milk replacer , or MAT for short , is a replacement for breast milk for calves that is fed to them after the colostrum phase.

The administration of Biestmilch is prescribed by law within the first four hours of life. After a single colostrum, the calves are often switched to the milk replacer.

Reasons for using milk replacers

The use of milk replacer has z. B. the advantage of shelf life. Raw milk obtained on the farm would have to be fed to the calves on the same day. Milk replacer, on the other hand, can be kept for months if the storage temperature is maintained.

Some milk-producing companies use milk replacer as an alternative to raw milk if this is not available in sufficient quantities (e.g. non-tradable milk, overachievement of the milk quota) for feeding the calves.

Farms that specialize exclusively in calf rearing or veal fattening have no way of feeding raw milk obtained in their own farm and are dependent on milk replacers.

Another point that influences the use of milk replacers is the current raw milk price compared to the current milk replacer price. If raw milk prices are high, the cheaper milk replacer is preferred.

The advantages of milk replacers are a constant composition that is specially adapted to the needs of the calf, minimized contamination with pathogens and thus minimized disease transmission. Furthermore, the amount of feed consumed can be checked relatively easily.

Assessment of milk replacers

The most important criterion for assessing milk replacers is the composition of their main ingredients. Three groups can be distinguished based on the ingredients to be declared.

The first group is the so-called skimmed milk replacer. It contains skimmed milk as the main source of protein , at least 50%. In addition, whey powder is used as a source of protein . Skimmed milk replacer does not contain any vegetable protein as a source of protein. This type of milk replacer is the most expensive and is therefore rarely used and is only rarely available on the market.

The second group is the zero exchanger without vegetable protein. Only animal protein serves as a protein source. It mainly contains whey powder or z. B. Caseinate as a protein source. This form of milk replacer is priced in the middle.

The third group is the zero exchanger with vegetable protein carriers. Here part of the animal protein is replaced by vegetable protein carriers. As a vegetable protein carrier z. B. soy protein , wheat protein or other protein carriers such as pea protein. Vegetable protein is poorly digested, especially by very young calves. These exchangers also contain substances such as incompatible carbohydrates, glycinin and β-conglycinin , to which calves react with symptoms of diarrhea. This form of milk replacer is located in the lower price level. Due to its poor digestibility, it should not be used in calves in the first 4–6 weeks of life. Vegetable protein-containing milk replacers can be fed to older calves. However, care should be taken to ensure that they are well-tolerated vegetable proteins such as soy protein isolate and soy protein concentrate. Milk replacers that contain fine soy flour, for example, should not be used.

This clear classification is currently being lost. There are hardly any real skimmed milk replacers left. Usually, skimmed milk powder is added to the zero exchangers of the third group in smaller proportions (<50%).

Other points for assessing milk replacers, such as the methods of obtaining and processing of whey powder, are also important. However, the manufacturer is not obliged to declare these points.

Use in calf rearing

In the rearing of heifers, a distinction is made between normal weaning and early weaning. The various milk replacers are used depending on the rearing method. Normal weaning describes weaning the calf from the milk or the exchanger after 10–12 weeks. With early weaning, on the other hand, the calves are weaned after 8-10 weeks so that they can eat roughage earlier . Correspondingly, the raw protein content is higher here.

Ingredients of milk replacers

Use in feeding

The milk replacer is fed with 120–160 grams per liter of water, depending on the raw protein content.

BSE

In the context of the so-called BSE scandal, the suspicion arose that the disease was caused by animal fats in milk replacers. Thereupon the replacement of z. B. Milk fat and milk protein prohibited by animal non-milk fats and proteins.

However, it has not yet been definitively clarified what causes BSE. However, researchers assume that pathogens in animal meal caused BSE.

On the other hand, under certain conditions , fishmeal can be used as a component of powdered milk replacers.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Anja Voerste project SCAFO research report No. 13
  2. ↑ Art. 29 Feeding fish meal to non-ruminants and calves. In: SR 916.441.22 Ordinance of 25 May 2011 on animal by-products (VTNP). June 1, 2018, accessed January 5, 2020 .