Use of Special Processed Soybean Flour and Whey Solubles in Milk Replacement Formulas for Dairy Calves

Abstract

Summary Soybean flour when fed with dried brewers' yeast and whey solubles can replace dried whey, distillers' dried corn solubles, blood meal, and up to a maximum of 43% of the nonfat dry milk solids in the milk replacement formulas fed to calves. Increases in soybean flour levels at the expense of nonfat dry milk solids of over a 43% substitution depressed appetite and retarded growth and resulted in poor physical appearance of the calves. The addition of dextrose or lactose to high level soybean flour replacement formulas did not improve growth rates of calves fed such formulas. Whey solubles stimulated appetite and produced more uniformity of gains than did dried whey. At levels of 0.25 and 0.05% dl-methionine failed to stimulate growth of calves fed formulas studied in these trials.