Purina Animal Nutrition has introduced the AMPLI-CALF® Program: a feeding program for calves proven by an eight year research study to increase first lactation milk production performance by as much as 2,740 pounds.
The research, conducted at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center from April 2007 to October 2014, obtained data from 162,577 lactation observations and studied 650 animals. The data analysis showed an average production increase of 2,740 pounds of milk in calves who participated in the nutrition program compared to calves fed an above average calf nutrition diet on the same farm.
“You get one chance to start your calf off right. And what we’ve seen is the health benefit, the growth benefit early into first lactation,” said sales manager Ralph Gill in an interview at the 2015 World Dairy Expo, “and from those we’ve seen more potential milk income, more lifetime milk out of the lactations that we have on these young stock that we’ve got coming through.”
The dietary components of the program include a milk diet, a +22% starter, and a +18% grower, each with unique, complementary ingredients to enhance each stage of calf growth and nutrition. The feeding steps of the program change sequentially with age, and follow the calf through the first 6 months of life.
“Instead of looking at calves as a cost center, you need look at them as an investment,” said Purina representative Thomas Johnson during the interview, “Within that first lactation, you can more than reap the benefits of that investment through the increase in milk performance; the heifer will be able to stay in the herd longer, and there will be an improvement in overall milk production.”
Listen to my interview with the Purina Team at World Dairy Expo:
Interview with Ralph Gill and Thomas Johnson, PurinaView and download photos from the event here: 2015 World Dairy Expo Photo Album
