With the objective of growing her calves as efficiently as possible, dairy farmer Trish Rankin has changed from feeding whole milk only, to working to a nutrition plan that incorporated calf milk replacer. The benefits have both pleased and surprised her. She and husband Glen own Rankill Downs at Oaonui, Opunake. Milking 300 cows, the […]
Have you ever felt like you keep doing all the things you’re supposed to when it comes to rearing calves but there’s little change to your production levels or farm profitability? Of course, rearing calves is just like any other kind of animal agriculture: “We’re managing biology for profit.” So, how can we manage calf […]
Feeding calves more for earlier growth and development is better for lifetime productivity; that’s what Sam and Jo Spencer-Bower both learned and experienced by working with AgriVantage for the 2023 season. “We were referred to AgriVantage for their calf rearing expertise,” said Sam. “And it’s been a game changer. We implemented everything they recommended to […]
Roger Russell was a firm believer that whey milk replacer was an inferior product, and he wasn’t prepared to feed it to his calves – until he experienced first-hand the significant difference in the condition of his calves within days of switching to Sprayfo Blue calf milk replacer. Roger owns a bull farm at Ruawaro, […]
Profitable dairy herds are built on a foundation of continuous improvement in efficiency and output. Cows which produce more milk per kilogram of feed consumed will inevitably be more profitable than less efficient animals. Similarly, herds which have a lower replacement rate are more profitable than herds with a higher replacement rate because rearing replacement […]
Using Sprayfo Delta and Blue calf milk replacers for the first time in 2022, Wendy Williams believes she’s reared her best calves ever. “For me, consistency is key. I know we are getting a much better product in Sprayfo.” For calf rearer Wendy Williams, consistency (in a milk replacer) is everything. After one season with […]
Jenna and daughter Keira with a healthy Sprayfo reared calf. Going from a purely whole milk calf rearing system to feeding calf milk replacer (CMR) has been a positive experience for dairy farmer Jenna McLeod. She says CMR is not only more cost-effective, but the calves grow better: they reach target weights quickly and transition […]
Rosemarie weaned her Sprayfo Blue calves off milk 10-12 days earlier because they were at their target weight so much quicker than in previous years. After rearing calves on cow’s milk for 20 years, in 2021 Rosemarie Costar did things a bit differently. She reared 220 calves with Sprayfo Blue calf milk replacer. Based on […]
After one and a half seasons with AgriVantage and Sprayfo milk replacers, Sheep and Beef Farmers Nolan and Rochelle Jennings are big advocates of both brands. Based on their positive experience with the lamb milk replacer, they have switched to Sprayfo calf milk replacer this year too. The Jennings are located at Otara in southern […]
By adlib feeding with Sprayfo Delta and then Sprayfo Blue calf milk replacers, Dairy Farmer LeAnne Blakelock says she has reared better calves with fewer losses on the same amount of powder. At the tail-end of last season, LeAnne trialled Sprayfo Delta high fat CMR with her final mob of beef calves. At the time, […]
