So, what makes a “good” calf milk replacer? And what factors can make it even better?

It takes hard work and considerable investment to create a newborn calf. So, when that calf hits the ground, we want to do everything we can to give it the best possible start to a healthy and productive life.

When Nick Zubke started his job in maintenance at Strauss Feeds in 2013, it was a homecoming of sorts. “I’m from Watertown and live in the  house where I grew up, which is about 2 miles from the Strauss plant,” he shared. “The plant has been a part of our ‘neighborhood’ for my entire life.”

Automated calf feeders have now been commercially available in the United States for roughly two decades. By design, autofeeders can be an excellent tool, as they allow calf-feeding patterns that most closely mimic those of a nursing calf in nature (Mother Nature’s way).

Waste milk – a “free” source of acceptable calf nutrition. Or is it?Technically, waste milk is not “free,” because there still is a cost to produce it. It is only perceived as free because there is nothing else a dairy can do with it.

We do more than sell milk replacer. We partner with our customers to deliver both high-quality products and services that add value to those products and maximize their influence on calf performance.

Starting as a laboratory technician, it was only a matter of months before Mariah’s organizational skills, attention to detail, and conscientious work habits earned her a promotion to Laboratory Supervisor. She now oversees two other employees and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the lab.

It seems there are as many potential additives to calf diets as there are corn kernels in a bushel. But which ones really work, and are truly worth the investment?

An industry stalwart who values nutrition, calves, and people – in no particular order – is the defining moniker of Dan Catherman, President of Strauss Feeds.

When it comes to raising baby calves, there are some core fundamentals that absolutely need to happen in their first week after birth to ensure a healthy, productive lifetime.