Northland Dairy Farmer Paula Summers describes herself as “a hygiene freak” and says that Stalosan F is an “absolutely brilliant” drying agent and biosecurity aid in the rearing shed.

Article supplied by Dr B.W. Schouten, BVSc Veterinary Consultant to AgriVantage How to fortify cows’ milk with a CMR Fortifying whole milk with calf milk replacer (CMR) is a great way to extend your colostrum and transition milk supplies, without taking milk from the vat. Fortifying whole milk has the following advantages: Increasing vitamin and […]

“I recommend Sprayfo Red as a quality and cost-effective milk replacer” Sanson Dairy Farmer Aaron Taylor rears approximately 450 calves annually with AgriVantage’s Sprayfo Red Finisher calf milk replacer (CMR). He’s used it for the last two seasons and will do the same this year, because Sprayfo Red proved to be much easier to use […]

For many dairy farmers, it makes sense to feed calves on whole milk. And why not? It’s freely available and produced in house. But, with an increased payout forecast, feeding calves whole milk could be costing you more than you realise. Feeding a quality whey calf milk replacer is not only cheaper, it’s proven to […]

Article supplied by Natalie Chrystal, Nutrition Consultant to AgriVantage If you have been reading the rural press in recent weeks it’s likely you are scratching your head at some of the claims which have been made about whole or skim milk replacers in comparison to whey based milk replacers. You may also be feeling a […]

What if I told you that approximately 25% of calves don’t produce a curd, even when fed a curding milk replacer. Article supplied by Natalie Chrystal, Nutrition Consultant to AgriVantage Optimising the management and nutrition of calves on dairy farms is essential to the long-term productivity of every dairy herd. Realising the importance of calf […]

The McEwans Texel Stud is on 50 acres near Ashburton. Here they run 200 breeding ewes and rear 20-30 lambs by hand each year. Elizabeth rears her lambs on Launchpad18 colostrum powder and Sprayfo Primo Lamb milk replacer, with a boost of Biopect. “I am very particular about my lambs” says Elizabeth. “They are like […]

It’s a global standard that every calf needs a minimum of 100g IgG in the first feed. To ensure IgG content of maternal colostrum is adequate, we recommend a brixmeter test which will show you the milk solid (MS) %.

Texel sheep stud owner Elizabeth McEwan is rearing her lambs with new Launchpad18 colostrum powder along with Sprayfo Primo Lamb milk replacer this season. She’s exceptionally happy with the products and the progress of her lambs. The McEwans Texel Stud is on 50 acres near Ashburton. Here they run 200 breeding ewes and rear 20-30 […]

Article supplied by Dr B.W. Schouten, BVSc Veterinary Consultant to AgriVantage The transition from milk to grass In the early stages of a calf’s life, milk is digested in the fourth stomach (the abomasum). Only when the calf has a fully functional rumen and reticulum (the first two stomachs) can the transition from milk to […]

North Otago farmer Wayne Bugden is rearing 120 calves on AgriVantage’s Sprayfo Blue Premium calf milk replacer this season. With an added boost of Biopect, Wayne says the calves are off to an extra good start. Wayne switched to Sprayfo CMR based on his experience with Sprayfo Primo Lamb – which he used to rear […]

Quite simply, IgG delivers immunity and immunity is essential to survival. With a guaranteed 18 per cent IgG, AgriVantage Launchpad18 colostrum powder has at least 20 per cent more potential immunity than other powders on the market. That’s why it’s the best. Colostrum plays a vital role in neonatal health; providing high quality colostrum as […]

Profitable calf rearing Article supplied by Dr B.W. Schouten, BVSc Veterinary Consultant to AgriVantage Prevention and treatment of scours A scouring calf is in grave danger. The physiological and pathological changes that are occurring in the gut are now well understood and can easily be summarised by the effect on the calf. These are (diarrhoea): […]

Profitable calf rearing Article supplied by Dr B.W. Schouten, BVSc Veterinary Consultant to AgriVantage Causes and diagnosis Without a doubt, dealing with scouring calves is the biggest challenge for the calf rearer, and the biggest threat to calf survival. Understanding the causes of neonatal diarrhoea (scours) is important, so that appropriate prevention and treatment can […]

Profitable calf rearing Article supplied by Dr B.W. Schouten, BVSc Veterinary Consultant to AgriVantage Once you’re sure that your newborn animals have consumed a good amount of quality colostrum, the feeding schedule over the first 10-day period will lay the foundation for good early health and growth. It’s important to consider the following: Feeding methods […]

Profitable calf rearing Article supplied by Dr B.W. Schouten, BVSc Veterinary Consultant to AgriVantage The decisions you make on Day 1 could make or break your calf rearing venture. This is the moment you select a calf and pay the market price.   As a rearer, your main objective must be to minimise the mortality […]

What impacts success or failure? Article supplied by Dr B.W. Schouten, BVSc Veterinary Consultant to AgriVantage Another calf rearing season is fast approaching, and dairy beef calves will soon become available for the dairy/beef market.   Questions you might be asking: What will be the price of a good quality calf? And, what will happen […]

Use Stalosan F in conjunction with a strong liquid disinfectant for a total hygiene solution. The combination is excellent for rearing pen preparation. For rearing shed or calf-pen preparation: 1. Clear pens of old bedding material. 2. Spray with a strong liquid disinfectant to kill bacteria. Take care to spray rails, gates and vertical walls. […]

“Successful calf rearing depends on many factors, especially good nutrition” says Dr Bas Schouten, one of New Zealand’s renowned experts on animal rearing. “Our aim is to meet the energy requirements of our animals while they are totally reliant on milk. “At the same time, we want to encourage the early intake of concentrates and […]

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is key to a strong, robust start to life and for fighting infections, making IgG content a critical factor when assessing the quality of colostrum. Failure of Passive Transfer (FPT) occurs when a calf or other new-born animal fails to obtain or absorb adequate quantities of IgG antibodies from colostrum in the […]

Pig farmers Pieter Bloem and third generation Gavin and Nicole are firm advocates for Milkiwean Yoghurt, having noted significant improvements in piglet performance and even sow condition since introducing it 3 years ago. In their opinion, there’s no better product for rearing piglets. Bloem Farm in the Otago Peninsula is home to 290 sows and […]

Several customers, mostly lamb rearers have asked us “Why can’t you make Sprayfo here? Wouldn’t that solve the supply issues?” The fact is we have investigated manufacturing Sprayfo milk replacers in New Zealand as this would reduce lead times considerably. Unfortunately, it can’t be done. Why? The chief reason is that Sprayfo is a whey […]

Lamb rearers Luke and Rebecca Mahoney were sold on Sprayfo Primo Lamb after just one season, based on the performance of the lambs and the support they received from AgriVantage in achieving their rearing objectives. Based on a 1,200 acre block in Pahiatua, the Mahoney’s have been large-scale calf rearers for some time. 2017 was […]

AgriVantage’s Warren Tanner discusses lamb rearing protocols with Spring Sheep Milk Co Farm Manager John Ryrie and Rearing Manager Jane Egan at the Monavale Pilot Farm in Cambridge. Key to Spring Sheep Milk Co’s overall operation is maximising the production of each individual animal to produce enough high-quality product for their markets. Their approach is […]

Feeding Sprayfo Primo Lamb whey-based milk replacer in an adlib feeding system has been a break-through for rearing orphan lambs, according to Sheep Farmer Peter Black, who up until three years ago was frustrated at lamb mortality from abomasal bloat. “Losses from abomasal bloat, which can take some of the best lambs after a lot […]

West Otago lamb rearer Lyn Chittock has experienced a significant decrease in lamb mortality from bloat over the last three seasons, having lost 40 out of 230 orphan lambs in 2015. She’s also regularly exceeding her weaning targets. So, what’s changed? Lyn switched her lambs to AgriVantage’s Sprayfo Primo Lamb whey milk replacer in 2016. […]

As part of their commitment to “better fed, better bred and better red” pork, Waratah Farms are rearing piglets with AgriVantage’s Milkiwean Yoghurt supplementary feed. Operations Manager Stuart Shaw says feeding Milkiwean is a key reason they now regularly better their target of 11 pigs per sow. Waratah Farms have a breeding herd of 1200 […]

Calf rearers Andy and Sharon Howard fed AgriVantage Sprayfo Blue Premium and Sprayfo Red calf milk replacers for the first time in 2017. Because it was so easy to mix, and the calves grew well, they’ll continue using it. No question. Based in Sheffield, Canterbury, the Howards rear 600 calves annually with the objective of […]

Canterbury Dairy Farmer Dan Mulholland reared calves with AgriVantage’s Sprayfo Red Finisher whey powder for the first time last season, having reared calves on whole milk in the past. The biggest difference he noted was the calves’ growth rate – they were all weaned two weeks earlier than in previous years. Dan milks 750 cows […]

Trouw Nutrition, manufucturer of Sprayfo, says new data from a recent longitudinal study continues to support the idea that a higher plane of nutrition pre-weaning can help ‘program’ a cow’s future metabolism. To read the full article click here

Best practice in animal welfare is sheep farmer Bradley Stewart’s primary reason for rearing orphan lambs with Sprayfo Primo Lamb milk replacer. Abomasal bloat, which killed up to 25% of the lambs some years, is a thing of the past. The lambs are healthy, weaned earlier and are of increasing value to his operation. Home […]

AgriVantage are holding their annual lamb rearing seminars in Invercargill, Gore and Winton this month, featuring guest speakers Dr Bas Schouten (New Zealand’s leading animal rearing consultant) and Trouw Nutrition’s Sprayfo rearing expert Erik Rensink. Rearers are invited to learn more about milk replacers, how they differ and how whey is better for lamb rearing. […]

“With Sprayfo Blue, we always achieve better growth rates.” In the 15 years that Noel has been in business, he says he hasn’t found a better milk replacer and doesn’t believe he’s likely to. “I’ve used Sprayfo Blue every season since coming across it in 2013. In my opinion, the consistent quality of Sprayfo CMR […]

“We have a much greater survival rate, and the lambs grow well, easily reaching the target weight with Sprayfo.” Using Sprayo Primo Lamb milk replacer has made hand rearing 200 orphan lambs so much easier, and more profitable, says Margaret Saunders. The chief benefit being the lambs no longer suffer bloat, plus it’s easy to […]

One season using Sprayfo Blue Premium calf milk replacer has left Russell Vining convinced he has to include it in his budget for this year’s calf crop. Russell owns a 600 cow operation north of Huntly in the Waikato, and last winter decided to break with tradition and use calf milk replacer to rear replacements […]

John Reekers is used to the jibes from other farmers that he is bringing coals to Newcastle by using Dutch sourced milk powder to feed his calves on his Waikato property. However he makes no excuse for using Sprayfo Blue Premium whey based milk powder for his calves, and despite uncertainty around the payout, thinks […]

Ten free bags of milk powder and some good advice on calf rearing have paid dividends for Whakatane couple Noel West and Leeanne Tubbett. The large scale calf rearers (1,200 calves) were drawn to the AgriVantage stand at the 2013 Fieldays, with the prospect of getting some sage rearing advice from renowned expert Dr Bas […]

Good hygiene, established routines and a passion for rearing good calves sees Balclutha farm owner Tania Booth avoid many of the diseases and costs that can often hit southern farms over spring periods. Tania and partner Noel Caulfield have been farming in the region for 11 years after moving south from Matamata. They now own […]

For Matamata goat farmers Wayne and Robyn Montague, Sprayfo Goat milk replacer is set again to play a key role in their rearing programme for 2013. Wayne and wife Robyn moved out of dairy cows and into goats over 10 years ago, and today run 900 head in an indoor operation. The move from cows […]