Calf milk feeding: plan for weight and daily gain

Calf milk feeding depends on body weight and the daily gain you aim for. NASEM 2021 gives dry matter, energy and protein needs for Holstein and Jersey replacement calves. Use those needs and your milk replacer’s mixing instructions to plan powder and water, then follow feed costs with HerdMobile.

A young calf beside a plain teat bucket and separate water. AI-generated topic scene.

Edited by Ender Soyuince · About our content

2026-10-21

Compiled from open-access scientific sources.

Which calves does this milk feeding plan suit?

The milk feeding plan suits Holstein and Jersey replacement calves receiving only milk or milk replacer. NASEM 2021, Chapter 10, gives their daily needs for dry matter, metabolizable energy, metabolizable protein and crude protein at different weights and growth rates. For example, a 40 kg Holstein-type calf gaining 0.4 kg a day needs 0.64 kg of dry matter, 2.93 Mcal of energy and 149 g of crude protein. At a target gain of 0.6 kg a day, those needs rise to 0.80 kg of dry matter, 3.66 Mcal and 202 g of crude protein. The protein figures assume a milk replacer made entirely with milk protein.

Read the related guide

How do you plan each milk feeding?

Start with the calf’s target gain and daily dry matter need, then check how much powder supplies those solids. Divide the daily amount into two or three feedings and mix with warm water at the ratio on the product label. Keep temperature and concentration consistent so every feeding follows the same routine. For example, a 35 kg Jersey calf gaining 0.6 kg a day needs 0.73 kg of dry matter, 3.45 Mcal and 200 g of crude protein. Both breed and weight matter when planning milk feeds.

How do you adjust feeding as calves grow?

Weigh calves at birth and every one to two weeks, and write down the results. Recalculate their needs as they grow. For example, a 50 kg Holstein-type calf gaining 0.8 kg a day needs 1.05 kg of dry matter and 4.85 Mcal. Use your milk replacer price to work out cost per calf per day; HerdMobile helps you follow feed costs. Date each feeding plan so you can compare groups, and keep colostrum notes with birth details to follow each calf’s early weeks.

Questions from the farm

Which calves does this milk replacer plan suit?

The plan suits Holstein and Jersey replacement calves fed only milk or milk replacer. NASEM 2021 feeding guidance relates their needs to body weight and daily gain.

How much dry matter does a 40 kg Holstein-type calf need?

A 40 kg Holstein-type calf needs 0.64 kg of dry matter daily for a gain of 0.4 kg a day, or 0.80 kg for 0.6 kg a day, under NASEM 2021 guidance.

What type of protein do these feeding figures assume?

The crude protein figures assume a milk replacer made entirely with milk protein. Check your product label when planning feeds, and weigh the powder for each feeding.

How HerdMobile helps

Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.

See how many kilos of each feed to give — Keep the day’s work in view: open your animal records, plan feeding, follow farm accounts and manage your backup in HerdMobile.