Bonanza Calf Nutrition has developed the 1st transition milk replacer for calves.

What is transition milk?

Transition milk has a significant impact on baby calf development, it is the foundation of health and productivity for the future herd. It is more than the sum of its parts.

Transition milk is the milk produced by the cow during the transition period from colostrum to whole milk post calving. It contains a high level of nutrition and bioactive ingredients which aren’t found in whole milk or standard milk replacers.

The bioactive ingredients are specific to the requirements of the developing calf and future cow and is exactly what nature intended.

Transition milk is an excellent source of nutrition for both the calf and their developing gut microbiome. The calf is born with a functional but immature gut, development is both microbial and physical.

The ingestion of colostrum and transition milk is key to the health of this microbiome and to the health and development of the calf. The baby calf is very limited in what it can digest in the days after birth and providing the wrong feed at this stage limits gut development, gut closure, energy intake and the ability of the calf to fight infection.

Transformula – the best alternative to cows transition milk

Transformula was designed as a replacement to cows own transition milk or a way of extending transition milk feeding. On many herds, transition milk cannot be fed for one reason or another, such as:

• Disease risk i.e. Johnes or mycoplasma can be transmitted via milk from infected animals.
• Labour shortage – not practical to feed calves at milking times.
• Inadequate volumes of transition milk – insufficient number of cows calved to supply enough milk for the first few weeks of life.
• Storage limitations – must be stored in the fridge to prevent it becoming a ‘bacterial soup’ if it can’t be fed fresh.

How long should calves be fed transition milk?

Calves will benefit from being fed transition milk for at least the first 10 days of life. Providing the correct source of nutrition at the right time leads to long term life performance.

Recent research from Harper Adams University has highlighted this, showing calves fed transformula for 10 days post birth produced 1000L more milk and 85kg more fat and protein in their first lactation compared to calves fed a good quality skim based milk replacer. Using the figures from this trial and current milk prices, farmers will get an outstanding 100:1 payback from feeding Transformula for the first 10 days. Read full article in our Research section

Another recent French trial has shown calves to grow better in their first month of life and be healthier when fed transformula for the first three weeks of life compared to calves fed a good quality skim-based milk replacer. Read full article in our Research section