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Calf rearing is one of the most important phases in any dairy or beef enterprise. The first 8–12 weeks of life determine growth trajectory, immune strength, age at first calving, finishing efficiency and ultimately lifetime productivity.
Choosing the right milk replacer is therefore not simply about cost per tonne – it’s about feed efficiency, health resilience and consistent daily liveweight gain.
Buitelaar Milk Powders have been developed within a commercial calf rearing system feeding over 40,000 calves per year. They are formulated around one core principle: if it doesn’t perform in real rearing units, not only does it not make it to market but more importantly we wouldn’t use it for our own calves.
Here are five technical reasons why farmers across the UK and Ireland use Buitelaar Milk Powders in their calf rearing systems.
Buitelaar operates one of the UK’s largest integrated calf rearing supply chains, rearing tens of thousands of calves annually. This scale provides continuous real-world data on:
♦ Growth performance
♦ Feed conversion
♦ Health outcomes
♦ Antibiotic usage
♦ Weaning transition success
Our Milk powders were originally developed for use within this commercial system. That means formulations are refined through practical performance, not theoretical formulation alone.
For farmers, this translates to:
♦ Proven consistency batch after batch
♦ Products tested under genuine commercial pressure
♦ Nutritional strategies built around measurable outcomes
A key feature across the entire Buitelaar milk powder range is Digest Control — a formulation approach designed to optimise calf digestion from day two onwards.
Digest Control works by:
♦ Supporting a lower, safer digestive pH
♦ Inhibiting harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella
♦ Encouraging development of microvilli in the small intestine
♦ Improving nutrient absorption efficiency
♦ Reducing digestive stress and scours
Young calves are at their most vulnerable in the early weeks, particularly when it comes to digestive health. When gut health is compromised, nutrient absorption drops, growth slows and disease pressure increases.
By stabilising digestive function, calves are better able to:
♦ Utilise every litre fed
♦ Maintain consistent daily liveweight gain
♦ Transition more smoothly onto concentrates
♦ Develop stronger immunity
In a farming environment where reducing antibiotic use is increasingly important, digestive resilience is fundamental.
Early growth rate is one of the strongest predictors of lifetime performance in both dairy and beef systems.
Across commercial rearing units, calves fed these powders have demonstrated average daily liveweight gains of circa 1.3kg under optimised management protocols. Improved gut stability and consistent early growth have also contributed to a measurable reduction in antibiotic usage.
Strong early growth sets the foundation for lifetime performance, improving efficiency and profitability through to finishing, while in heifers it supports earlier maturity, better fertility, and stronger lifetime output.
♦ Improves lifetime growth performance and finishing efficiency
♦ Supports better feed conversion and overall productivity
♦ Accelerates rumen development for earlier transition onto solid feed
♦ Strengthens immune function, reducing disease risk and antibiotic reliance
♦ Reduces lifetime rearing costs through fewer health issues and interventions
♦ Creates more uniform batches for easier management and consistent outputs
Heifer-specific benefits:
♦ Supports earlier maturity and improved growth targets
♦ Helps achieve earlier age at first calving
♦ Improves fertility and reproductive performance
♦ Increases lifetime productivity and overall output
Importantly, growth is not achieved through excessive energy alone, but through digestible, balanced nutrition that calves can efficiently convert into lean tissue.
One of the most common misconceptions in calf nutrition is focusing purely on crude protein percentage.
High protein figures do not guarantee performance. What matters is:
♦ Digestibility
♦ Amino acid balance (including lysine and methionine)
♦ The calf’s ability to absorb and utilise the nutrients
The Buitelaar range includes both skim-based and whey-based milk replacers, formulated with carefully selected dairy protein sources to ensure high digestibility.
Key formulation principles include:
♦ High-quality dairy proteins
♦ Balanced amino acid profiles
♦ No wheat gluten fillers
♦ Stable mixing performance (hot or cold feeding where appropriate)
Avoiding low-value protein substitutes reduces digestive upset and ensures nutrients are used for growth rather than wasted.
This is particularly important for:
♦ Dairy replacement heifers targeting 24-month calving
♦ Dairy bulls entering beef systems
♦ Continental and high-genetic-merit calves
Not every farm operates the same rearing model. Buitelaar Milk Powders are available across a structured range to suit:
♦ Dairy heifer systems
♦ Dairy bull calf rearing
♦ Beef calf rearing
♦ Professional calf rearing units
♦ Cost-conscious growth systems
Options include:
♦ Premium skim-based milk replacers for maximum early performance
♦ High-specification skim alternatives
♦ Whey-based powders designed to drive early rumen development
♦ Economic whey formulations with targeted digestive support
All products within the range include Digest Control, ensuring consistent digestive stability regardless of price point.
In addition, powders are produced under strict quality assurance standards and supported by a technical team that can advise on:
♦ Calf age and weight
♦ Feeding rates and concentration
♦ Growth targets
♦ System design and budget alignment
The pre-weaning period is not simply about survival. It is a critical growth window where:
♦ Intestinal development is established
♦ Immune competence is strengthened
♦ Muscle and frame growth are accelerated
♦ Rumen development is initiated
When calves receive highly digestible, balanced milk replacer supported by good management, they:
♦ Experience fewer setbacks
♦ Show more consistent daily gains
♦ Require fewer medical interventions
♦ Reach performance targets earlier
Investing in digestive efficiency during this stage improves feed efficiency and profitability later in life.
1 – Developed and proven in large-scale commercial calf rearing systems
2 – Digest Control technology supports gut health and nutrient absorption
3 – Strong, consistent daily liveweight gain under commercial conditions
4 – Focus on protein quality and digestibility – not just headline percentages
5 – A complete range to suit dairy, beef and professional rearing units
For farmers focused on performance, calf health and long-term return on investment, milk replacer selection should prioritise digestibility, consistency and real-world results.
