A NEW product claims to significantly increase calf growth rates and improve health in young animals, with the aim of reducing the staggering 15% of dairy heifers that are born alive which fail to make it through to adult production.

The addition of Downland’s Fresh Start Improve into milk diets, has been trialled successfully and has been proven to reduce scour and improve growth rates.

“It is a unique combination of natural ingredients specially formulated to maximise calf growth, immune response and gut health,” says Mark Lowden, chief executive at Downland. “Added to either powdered or whole milk, the product, fed at 7g/calf/day, not only binds harmful bacteria in the gut reducing the risk of scour, but provides antioxidants which have been proven to increase antibody levels and reduce the number of days the calf is sick.

“Additionally, it supplies functional proteins directly to the gut wall and also contains a unique source of DHA omega-3 essential for calf development.”

Tony Blamire’s farm, in Cumbria, was used to trial it commercially. He said: “Within five weeks of the product going in the milk, at 7g/day/head, scour treatments dropped from two a week to zero. Interestingly, when the product was taken out, two calves were treated for scours within that week.”

Mr Lowden added: “Scour is reported to be one of the biggest causes of on-farm calf mortality and even if the animal survives, treatment is costly and there are long term production losses.

“Costing just 15p/calf/day, producers will see return on investment through either increased growth rates or a reduction in incidence of scour. Additionally, a reduction in challenges which lead to gut problems means the calf has an improved immune response."

Fresh Start Improve is available in 2kg or 5kg packs, for more information go to www.downland.co.uk