Calves reared in hutch systems can now benefit from the ‘slow-feed’ design of Milk Bar teats thanks to the introduction of the new Milk Bar Calf Buddy system that enables the teats to be fitted into hutch buckets.
The new Calf Buddy system results from a collaboration between Milk Bar and hutch bucket specialist Hiko. It consists of a new design Calf Buddy teat that’s attached onto a new (pink) connector, and this fits into the 38mm hole of any Hiko bucket or standard hutch bucket.
Milk Bar teats are designed so that calves have to suckle for their milk, and thus consume it more slowly. This slower and more controlled feeding results in increased saliva production, better digestion of lactose, and reduces the risk of nutritional scours that can arise when calves gulp milk down too fast.
The advent of the Calf Buddy system will be of special value for hutch systems where calves are reared in pairs; the slower feeding on Milk Bar teats results in their instinct to suckle being met, so they don’t need to cross-suckle after feeding.
Cross-suckling is detrimental to calf health as it increases the risk of navel infections and the keratin plug in udder teat canals being removed, which can lead to mastitis issues in later life.
A starter pack of 10 Milk Bar Calf Buddy Teats plus Connectors has a recommended retail price of £74.50+VAT (correct at June 2023). Thereafter, a pack of 10 Calf Buddy Teats retails at £43.00+VAT, and a pack of 10 Calf Buddy Connectors is £31.50+VAT.
