Effects of milk replacer supplementation to whole milk fed to Holstein dairy calves during the first month of life on intake, performance, and health under 2 feeding programs

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of adding milk replacer to milk fed to calves during their first month of life on intake, performance, and health under 2 milk feeding programs. Materials and Methods: Sixty female Holstein calves were blocked at birth by dam parity and assigned in a randomized block design to 1 of 4 treatments (n = 15/treatment). Calves were fed whole milk under either a conventional (CF) or a step-up/step-down (SF) feeding program for 8 wk. Both feeding programs were tested with (+MR) and without 0.5 kg/d of milk replacer during the first 28 d. Results and Discussion: The maximum rate of liquid feed supply was similar to 1.5 kg of DM. No difference in intake was found during the last week of the experiment. Daily gain varied among treatments. Heifers on SF+MR were the heaviest at the end of the experiment, although they were not different from those on CF+MR. There was no difference in final BW between CF+MR and SF. No difference in diarrhea status was observed. Implications and Applications: Under the conditions of this experiment, calves achieved greater nutrient intake by concentrating the milk feeding during the first month, inducing a greater daily gain during the entire liquid feeding period, neither compromising starter intake at weaning nor affecting diarrhea incidence. Milk replacer supplementation only during the first month of life can be used under both feeding programs, with the conventional being more practical and less time consuming.