REPLACEMENT OF SKIM MILK POWDER IN MILK R EPLACERS FOR REARING CALVES

The possibility of substituting whey products and soy and potato prote in concentrates for skim milk powder in milk replacers for calf rearin g was tested in two calf-rearing experiments with groups of male simme ntal calves, 15 animals per group. In both experiments one group was g iven a milk replacer consisting of 50 % whole milk powder and 50 % ski m milk powder. For the first feeding period (29 to 50 days of age) the calves were fed six liters, for the second feeding period (50 to 75 d ays of age) four liters twice a day. Concentrated feed was offered in unlimited quantities. The animals were kept in a tying stall with stra w bedding. In the first experiment, group 2 was given a commercial mil k replacer for rearing calves with 60 % skim milk powder for the first feeding period and 40 % for the second. In group 3, the skim milk pow der was replaced completely with whey powder. No significant differenc es concerning daily gains and feed efficiency could be determined betw een the groups. Rearing performance tended to be inferior in group 3, but this could not be statistically proven. In the second experiment, no skim milk powder at all was given to groups 2 and 4. Each group rec eived 3 % potato protein concentrate, and group 2 received 12.7 % soy protein concentrate; group 4 received 7.0 % soy protein concentrate. T he percentage of whey products was 65.1 % and 70.9 % respectively. In group 3, the skim milk powder was replaced except for 10 % by whey pro ducts, soy protein and potato protein concentrate. Statistical analysi s of the rearing performance of the individual animals showed no signi ficant differences between the groups. The calves in group 2 tended to be inferior in daily gain and feed efficiency