Milk Feeding Schedule - Gradual Increase, Gradual Reduction

Establishing a structured milk feeding schedule—starting with a gradual increase and later a slow reduction—is vital to promoting healthy growth in calves.

Understanding the Calf’s Digestive Capacity

“When increasing milk volumes, always consider the size of the abomasum. As a rule of thumb, the abomasum can hold about 5% of the calf’s birth weight. So, for an 88-pound calf, that’s around 2 quarts of milk per feeding,” explains Specialist Young Ruminants Henk Sijtsma.

The abomasum is flexible. “When a calf drinks from a nipple, it drinks more slowly, allowing slightly more milk to fit into the stomach,” he adds.

From the second week onward, the abomasum stretches, and calves can typically handle up to 3 quarts per feeding.

Avoiding Digestive Issues in Week Two

“In the veal industry, we sometimes see young calves arriving with undigested milk in the rumen,” says Henk. “That usually means they were fed too much milk too quickly. If milk spills into the rumen instead of the abomasum, it ferments—and after three to four days, the calf can become sick.”

This “second-week slump” can often be avoided by following a well-structured milk feeding schedule.

Adjusting Milk Replacer Concentration

Depending on your milk replacer’s quality, you can also adjust the powder-to-water ratio. Instead of mixing 150 grams per liter, you might mix 175 grams per liter (roughly 6.2 ounces per quart). This way, even with 2 quarts per feeding, you’re still delivering enough nutrition—about 1.75 pounds of powder per day.

“From around week three or four, it’s appropriate to increase up to 2.2 pounds (1 kg) of powder per day.”

Always provide fresh water so the calf can regulate its fluid needs.

Planning a Smooth Weaning Process

To support a healthy weaning process, begin reducing milk gradually over a three-week period. This gives calves time to transition and get more energy from solid feeds.

The standard schedule spans about 10 weeks (70 days). If feeding calves ad lib, begin reducing milk around week four.

Intensive feeding programs often require a longer weaning phase—solid feed intake is key to making that transition successful.

Tailored Feeding Strategies

Feed charts offer a general guideline, but you can always tailor them to fit your farm’s setup.

Whether you’re aiming for faster growth, a shorter milk period, or using different replacers for bull calves and heifers, our Denkavit specialists are happy to support your goals with personalized advice.

Need help customizing your calf feeding plan?

Reach out to your local Denkavit advisor for guidance that fits your operation.