Fully milk-based replacers better for lamb health and growth

Recently published research suggests farmers should avoid feeding milk replacers with vegetable proteins and fats to lambs in their early life. A milk replacer containing 100 per cent milk-based ingredients is better for growth, health, and welfare in the first five or six weeks, the study found.

AgResearch senior scientist Sue McCoard

Carried out by scientists from AgResearch with support from Spring Sheep Dairy and funding from NZAgbiz, the research considered the use of different compositions of milk replacers in artificial rearing systems, what it means for animal performance and health, and consequently costs for the producer. Around 200 East-Friesian male lambs were allocated to pens using a randomised experimental design and reared on one of two commercially available milk replacer formulations - one being 80 per cent casein and 20 per cent whey milk protein and 100 per cent milk fat, and the other 50 per cent casein, “ It not only helps 40 per cent whey milk protein and 10 per cent producers avoid costly animal hydrolysed wheat protein and 100% health and vegetable oil. The welfare issues... lambs were able to feed on demand from automatic feeders, with free access to grass hay also available. Study lead author and AgResearch senior scientist Sue McCoard says the results seen in lambs fed either milk replacer were similar when it came to death rates. However significant differences were observed in growth rates, health and need for use of antibiotics. “Among the key findings was that feeding a milk replacer containing vegetable ingredients versus 100 per cent milk ingredients resulted in lower growth rates (242 versus 296 g/d) – with four times more lambs failing to reach the minimum weaning weight by the end of the study,” Sue says. “The milk replacer containing vegetable ingredients was also associated with an increased incidence of health issues - notably scouring, pneumonia, pink eye, and external infections. The cost of health intervention by lamb was $17.20 per head, compared to $7.32 per head for those fed the 100 per cent milk ingredient replacer. We also saw a 2.5 times increased likelihood of therapeutic antibiotic use to treat health issues among those lambs reared on the milk replacer containing vegetable oil.” “Notably, lambs fed milk replacer containing vegetable ingredients were eight times more likely to get scours and three times more likely to get pneumonia.” “These results indicate feeding lambs in the first five to six weeks of life with milk replacer containing vegetable proteins and fats should be avoided. Improving early life nutrition through feeding of milk replacers containing 100 per cent milk-based ingredients supports growth, health, and welfare by providing protection against disease and reduces costs associated with health care. The reduction in therapeutic use of antibiotics also contributes to meeting consumer demands for chemical-free food production and reducing risk of antimicrobial resistance.” The effects of different combinations of milk replacer ingredients used in this study are still to be established. “It is clear however from this research and other studies, that investing in the right choices around the early life nutrition of artificially reared livestock is important, and has an increasingly important role in animal agriculture,” Sue says. “It not only helps producers avoid costly animal health and welfare issues but can also provide an advantage for lifetime performance as well as reducing wastage which is important for sustainable and ethical livestock production systems.”

You can read the full research here >

Goat and Sheep milking herds may benefit from StockhuMate

There is no doubt that the period when milking animals give birth is a very tiring and often stressful time for farmers. Difficulties come in a myriad of different ways, from kidding and lambing troubles to mastitis. A doe may move slowly, experience depression, and lose its appetite. The ewe will often be off colour, be walking stiffly due to pain in the udder and will generally isolate herself from the flock. To top it all off, the weather doesn’t always make it any easier. Amongst all this, the last thing you want is sickness going through your young stock and compromising your future milkers. StockhuMate is a 100% natural product, certified organic, which is high in carbon and humic acid, helping to boost the immune system of growing kids and lambs and assist them fighting disease. It is a loose lick which is left as a free choice supplement in calf pens. StockMate has been making life easier for calf rearers for some time now, helping to keep sickness out of calf sheds. It is therefore worth a try for your goats and sheep milking herd. See the testimonial below. "I leave StockMate in each pen to enable ad lib feeding, which they do happily. I add it on top of their water supply and they get into drinking water the same day. I haven’t bought electrolytes or Scourban for three seasons now and I do not use antibiotics either. I am a solo calf rearer for two farms (350-400 heifers) and have no trouble with rotavirus or any other gut related diseases, on a property with a history of seasonal outbreaks. I have seen StockMate detox, hydrate, break fever, perk up, encourage water intake and keep calves’ tummies firm. I strongly suspect it helps with their rumen development as well due to my heifers increasingly reaching earlier weaning weights.” Having StockhuMate available to your kids and lambs from day one may help to prevent sickness getting a foothold in your herd. It’s totally natural and organically certified for Organic farmers. Extracted from a humate seam in Southland, screened and bagged and now sold through Farmlands and Farm Source stores nationwide.

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For over 30 years Milk Bar has led the market in research driven teat design.

The philosophy is simple, control the milk flow to a natural speed to allow the digestive system to function correctly.

By understanding how the digestive system works, it is easy to see how teat design influences animal health. When a lamb or kid suckles properly, milk enters the abomasum where the saliva produced by suckling balances the pH so the milk can curd. Lactose is absorbed into the bloodstream and the curded milk passes through the intestines for digestion. With antimicrobial properties, saliva not only improves immunity but also provides Pre-Gastric lipase which is necessary for the digestion of fats. It is essential for the health of lambs and kids that the milk delivery is controlled to allow these processes to take place. Lamb or kid teats typically have a valve to prevent milk dripping. A valve increases milk flow, so the natural processes are compromised. Milk delivery is too fast, so milk does not have time to fully curd before it is pushed into the intestines. Lactose is not fully absorbed and also enters the intestines. These are key drivers to scours and bloat. With no valve, Milk Bar Teats are designed to support the digestive system to improve health and reduce the management time of lambs and kids. Where Milk Bar Teats help the animals, Milk Bar feeders are designed for easy handling and cleaning. Working with farmers all over the world, Milk Bar has a wide range of solutions to fit any system from twice a day feeding to ad libitum to automatic feeding systems. The Milk Bar Teat Separator in particular, has been hugely beneficial to commercial dairy operators. Designed on a 1,000 goat dairy in France, the Teat Separator easily connects to an automatic feeder. The animals have a secure feeding channel and teat replacement is dramatically reduced. Whilst designing this system it was noted by the farm manager that the medication use on farm was reduced by over 40%. The team at Milk Bar love nothing more than getting out on farm to help streamline rearing operations. If you’d like a chat on farm or over the phone about how to implement a controlled flow system on your farm, give Milk Bar a call on 0800 104 119.