Milk Replacers with or Without Animal Plasma for Dairy Calves

Abstract

Holstein calves (n = 68; 40 heifers) at two locations were used to evaluate effects of the addition of plasma protein to milk replacers on growth, intake, feed efficiency, and fecal scores. Milk replacers were formulated to contain 20% CP and 20% fat. Plasma was added to milk replacers to provide 0 or 25% of CP and replaced whey protein. Calves were fed colostrum for 3 d and then milk replacer (10% of BW/d) for 56 d. Initial mean BW was 38.0 kg. Commercial calf starter was offered for ad libitum consumption throughout the study. Composition of the milk replacer had no effect on weekly BW, BW gain, intake of milk replacer or calf starter, efficiency of BW gain, or fecal scores. Mean BW gain during the 56-d study was 473 g/d, and mean BW at 56 d was 65.8 kg. Calves consumed 534 and 575 g of DM/d of milk replacer and calf starter, respectively, during the 56-d trial. Inclusion of plasma proteins at 25% of CP supported growth equal to that of whey protein.