Meal Feeders and Waterers

It’s not just about milk, water and starter ration play their part in calf development.

Water is beneficial to the development of the rumen and is essential for the digestion and the metabolic function of the calf. Even slight dehydration an affect the metabolic function and reduce feed intake. Starter ration consumption is critical to improving rumen development, increasing daily gains, and reducing rearing costs.

Developing a healthy rumen early is vital to ease the transition from a pre-ruminant to a ruminant animal. The enzymes in starter ration stimulate and develop the rumen.

A healthy rumen has a dark colouration which is caused by increased tissue mass and large blood vessels. From the age of six weeks calves can start to use some energy and nutrition from starter ration. Provided they are eating 700 grams of starter ration, at six weeks, you can start to reduce the milk volume.

All Milk Bar Meal and Waterers have been designed to fit any shed configuration and budget and offer practical, durable solutions. U.V stabilised these Milk Bar solutions can be used inside or out.

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Braden Start Bottle

Product Code: 930100

The Braden Start Bottle & Nipple features a unique vertical-opening nipple design that encourages early grain feeding. This aids rumen development resulting more nutrient absorption and earlier microbial action in the rumen. Calves show a strong nursing instinct the first three days after birth and the design of the Braden Start Bottle makes it easy for calves to get the hang of eating dry feed through a bottle. Clean dry feed is efficiently dispensed by the exclusive design of the rubber Snap-On nipple and the calf gets virtually all of the feed with very little spillage.

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Milk Bar™ Bird Proof Meal Bar

Product Code: 930900

The first meal feeder with bird proofing flaps, the Bird Proof Meal Bar is an oldie but a goodie! Its had a few modifications over the years and 26 years on, is still a go to solution for farmers.

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Milk Bar™ Pen Waterer

Product Code: 935100

Our absolute favourite water solution! Unique covered design keeps water fresh, clean and safe from calves doing their business in the trough!

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💡Research Tip

Calves need four times more water than dry matter or a four to one (4:1) ratio.

If a calf eats 500 gms of dry matter a day, she will need at least 2 L of water. As she reaches weaning and is eating 1 kg per day, she will need 4 L of water. Limiting water, directly impacts dry matter consumption, and affects the animal’s performance. Ensuring access to clean, fresh water can increase water consumption by 32% which, in turn, can increase meal uptake by 13%, leading to improvements in average dairy weight gains!