The new Milk Bar Ad-Lib 4 feeding system has been launched by Dairy Spares. It’s been cleverly designed with two different teat heights and feeding mechanisms that ensure the speed of milk intake is controlled throughout the rearing phase.
Controlling the milk flow in high-volume ad-lib systems is critical to prevent nutritional diarrhoea.
Young calves start off on the feeder with new Milk Bar teats inserted at the lower level. Since these teats will initially be firm, calves must suckle hard, ensuring that feeding is controlled. After two to three weeks, the teats will soften, and drinking speeds will increase.
When this happens, the same four teats are moved to the top row of holes in the feeder and connected to milk tubes. The bottom teat holes are sealed with blanking plugs.
Ad-lib feeding can now start: the calves will feed using the same teats, but as effort is needed to suck milk up through the narrow tubes, this will control the speed of their milk intake until weaning.
After weaning, the worn teats need to be replaced with new Milk Bar teats, and the plugs and tubes washed, ready for the next batch of calves.
Designed for four calves, the Milk Bar Ad-Lib 4 feeder comes with Milk Bar teats, blanking plugs, tubes, connectors and a lid.
It has a recommended retail price of £149.00 +VAT and is available through Dairy Spares’ nationwide network of stockists.
