When calves get sick, scour, bloat, stop growing, or in the worst cases die unexpectedly, somebody inevitably asks the question:
"What's causing it?"
It's a fair question.
What often surprises me is how quickly many people already think they know the answer.
In today's world, it only takes a few minutes for theories to start circulating. A conversation in the calf shed becomes a discussion at the sale yards. A comment becomes a Facebook post. Before long, a product, supplier, or manufacturer can find themselves being blamed long before anyone has worked through the facts.
I'll be the first to admit that milk replacer can sometimes contribute to problems. It would be naïve to suggest otherwise. However, after spending more than 16 years in the calf milk replacer industry and speaking with rearers throughout New Zealand, I've learned that calf rearing issues are rarely as simple as many people would like them to be.
What frustrates me isn't when people raise concerns.
I encourage that.
What frustrates me is when assumptions become conclusions before the investigation has even started.
Another challenge is that we often hear about issues after assumptions have already been made.
If something doesn't seem right, pick up the phone. If we don't know there is a problem, we can't help investigate it. We may not always have the answer immediately, but early communication often helps identify factors that might otherwise be overlooked.
One of the most common comments we hear is:
"I've been rearing calves for years and never had an issue until now. It can't be me."
That may well be true.
But the calves being reared this year are not the calves reared last year. They may have different genetics, different immune status, different colostrum intake, different disease exposure and different environmental pressures. The season itself may be different. The weather may be wetter. The sheds may be carrying different bacterial loads. Feeders, teats, water supplies and bedding conditions may all have changed.
Every year brings a new group of calves and a new set of variables.
One thing I've learned is that calf rearing is rarely a story of one cause and one solution. More often, it's several factors coming together at the wrong time.
This is perhaps the biggest challenge when investigating calf health issues. The milk replacer is highly visible. It arrives in a bag. It gets mixed every day. It is easy to point at.
Many of the other variables are far less obvious.
Over the years we have seen situations where milk replacer was blamed, only for the actual cause to be something completely different.
In one case, a rearer was battling ongoing calf health issues and was convinced the milk replacer was at fault. After considerable investigation, the issue was eventually traced back to bird contamination of a water source. The milk powder had become the obvious suspect simply because it was the most visible part of the feeding programme. In reality, it was completely unrelated.
In another situation, a rearer experienced ongoing bloat issues and immediately changed milk powder brands. At the same time, worn feeding teats were replaced. The problem disappeared. The milk powder was credited with solving the issue, yet it was equally possible the calves had simply stopped drinking too quickly because the faulty teats had been replaced.
We've also seen situations where calves were receiving milk replacer, probiotics, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals and a range of other supplements. When digestive issues appeared, the feeding programme was simplified and many of the additional products were removed temporarily. The issue improved. Was it the milk powder? Was it one of the additives? Was it a combination of factors? The reality is that once multiple changes are made at the same time, identifying the true cause becomes almost impossible.
When a farmer rings and says:
"I've got ten calves with problems."
One of the first questions worth asking is:
"How many calves are being fed the same milk powder?"
The answer might be one hundred.
Now, ten calves with issues is still ten too many and deserves proper investigation. Those calves matter. But from a practical perspective, if ninety calves are performing well on exactly the same feed, it is worth considering whether there may be additional factors involved.
That is not about dismissing concerns.
It is about encouraging people to step back and look at the bigger picture.
At Milligans Feeds we manufacture several thousand tonnes of calf milk replacer every year. Our products are fed to calves throughout New Zealand under every imaginable rearing system. We see excellent results, average results, and occasionally poor results. We also receive the phone calls when things are not going well.
What experience has taught me is that calf rearing issues are rarely as straightforward as they first appear.
Sometimes the milk powder is involved.
Sometimes it isn't.
Often the answer lies somewhere in between.
Before jumping to conclusions, take a step back and review the entire system. Look at colostrum management. Look at feeding consistency. Look at hygiene. Look at additives and supplements. Look at water quality. Look at environmental pressures. Look at calf health. Look at what has changed.
Most importantly, change one thing at a time so you can identify what is actually making a difference.
This applies to everyone involved. Farmers, calf rearers, veterinarians, nutritionists, milk replacer manufacturers and people commenting online can all form opinions too quickly. The best outcomes come from asking questions, gathering information and working through the system methodically before settling on a cause.
The objective is not to defend milk powder manufacturers or dismiss genuine concerns.
The objective is to encourage practical investigation before assumptions are made.
Because the sooner the true cause is identified, the sooner calves can get back on track.
At the end of the day, everyone involved wants the same thing — healthy calves, good growth rates and successful outcomes.