Kormilak for calves: instructions for use and composition, feeding rates

Complete nutrition is the key to active growth and development of newborn calves. It is not economically viable to use whole cow's milk for rearing young animals. The optimal solution is to use the Kormilak substitute for calves, following the instructions for use. The mixture is fed to calves from birth to 2.5-3 months. The feed is in demand among livestock breeders, as it is inexpensive and is not inferior in nutritional value to whole milk.

What is milk replacer: what is included

"Kormilak" is created from a mixture of delactose sweet whey, whey protein concentrate and lactose anhydride. Milk replacer composition in percentage:

73-75% - dairy products (of which 29-30 are sweet whey, 18-20 are whey protein concentrate, 20-25 are delactose whey);
5% - mineral and vitamin supplements;
9-10% - vegetable protein blend.

The concentrate, which has a valuable balanced amino acid composition, gives a special value to the product. Membrane technology makes it possible to obtain a concentrate by draining whey and “cleansing” the product of excess minerals and lactose. Also, delactose whey should not be underestimated, since the digestion of newborn calves is only able to digest a limited amount of lactose.

Advantages and disadvantages

Whole milk substitutes for feeding calves are offered by many manufacturers. Mixtures are produced in different compositions and types (dry powder, concentrated substance, liquid product). Positive qualities of milk replacer "Kormilak":

antibiotic free formula;
product is enriched with biologically active elements (vitamins, macro- and microelements);
manufactured using easily digestible milk and vegetable proteins, animal and vegetable fats, synthetic amino acids;
presence of special emulsifiers prevents lumps;
additives and flavorings help increase appetite in calves;
Feed has an 8 month shelf life.

Mixture does not show clearly defined deficiencies. When breeding feed, you must strictly observe the proportions indicated by the manufacturer. Since violation of the rules can provoke diarrhea in animals.

Types and classification

Companies produce milk substitutes according to certain recipes. Depending on the percentage of substances in the product, the powders are intended for feeding calves of a certain age. Several types of powder "Kormilak" are produced according to the percentage of fat and proteins (comparison table).

Percentage of substances 20 for calves from day 52022 16 for newborns from the 7th day of life1622 12 for animals from day 211221

fats	proteins
fats

When choosing a certain type of substitute, you need to consider its classification (relative to the age of the animals).

How to choose milk replacer?

To choose a high-quality whole milk substitute, several factors must be taken into account: the biochemical composition of the product, the availability of feed for calves of different ages, the type of consistency, and the cost. For animal feed, manufacturers produce two types of substitutes:

dry powder and concentrated mixtures (diluted with water in certain proportions);
liquid food, ready to eat.

Dry feed is the most demanded, since the products are easier to store and have a long shelf life. A significant plus is that the composition of the feed is as close as possible to the quality of cow's milk.

If you focus on the cost of the product, you need to consider that cheap mixtures are of poor quality.

Unprocessed soy flour and other low-quality substances are added to substitutes. These additives can cause diarrhea in animals and are therefore not recommended for calf feeding.

How to breed dry milk replacer?

Properly prepared milk replacer is better absorbed by the digestive system of the newborn. The desired part of the powder is first diluted with a small volume of hot water, and then a certain amount of liquid is gradually added so that there are no lumps in the finished mixture. Powder dilution features:

the mixture must be fresh, so prepare it just before feeding the animals. The finished product should be fed within 8-10 minutes as sediment will form later and the nutritional value of the whole milk replacer will decrease;
liquid is poured into cleanly washed containers so as not to provoke diarrhea;
calves should not be fed a cold dairy product. The mixture should be warm (the optimum temperature is 35-38 ° C).

It is recommended to strictly follow the instructions from the feed manufacturer. As a rule, in the finished solution of dry powder should be at least 12%.

Drinking rates

On average, during the growth process, before the transition to an adult diet, a calf eats 38-40 kg of whole milk substitute powder. Since the daily requirement of an animal (aged 2 to 12 weeks) in a dairy product is 6-7 liters, about a kilogram of powder is used to prepare the mixture.

The manufacturer recommends, starting from the 3rd decade, every 2 days to increase the amount of "Kormilak" by 20%, gradually reducing the amount of whole milk in the diet.

As they grow older, after about a month and a half, calves begin to be fed a smaller amount of milk replacer, as complementary foods (hay, silage, vegetables, compound feed) are gradually introduced into the diet.

In the first months of life, the calf's body develops most actively.For full growth, an animal needs sufficient amounts of both proteins, fats, carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and microelements. Kormilak dry food is a high-quality and cost-effective substitute for cow's milk.