With increasingly unsteady milk markets, a lot of farmers will be wondering if they should buy milk replacer for next spring.

Farmers who do use milk replacer begin typically begin feeding it to calves when they are five to seven days-of age and no longer require colostrum.

However, once the initial colostrum has been fed within the first 24 hours, it is important to keep calves on transition milk for a few days to continue building their immune system.

After this, milk replacer is typically fed until the calf is weaned at 7-8 weeks-of-age.

Milk replacer has great benefits in the Irish dairy system, as calves can grow and develop just as they would on whole milk.

As well as that, milk replacer can help reduce the risk of diseases spreading, which will act as an additional cost-saver on farm.

Costs

Calves being fed milk replacer typically start on 500g per calf/day at one week-of-age.

At two weeks-of-age, they are upped to 750g per calf/day until five weeks-of-age, when they go back to 375g per calf/day, slowly weaning replacer out of the diet.

After eight weeks-of-age the calf will have consumed 25kg worth of milk replacer, and at an average cost of €57/20kg bag, that means the calf will have consumed just shy of €70 worth of milk replacer.

In spring 2025, the average base price of milk was in or around the 50c mark.

Calves drinking whole milk will require approximately 5L a day, so over 42 days they would drink 210L of whole milk, or approximately €105 worth, or €126 on a 6L diet.

This made milk replacer the better option last spring, saving on average €35 per calf.

However, with average base price of milk now sitting at 44c/L and indications suggesting it could drop further, spring 2026 may tell a different story.

Milk price would need to drop to 33c/L for milk to be less valuable than milk replacer, though with the cost of production already at 37-39c/L, milk replacer would be the least of their worries if prices got to there.

If prices do drop to the 40c/L mark, farmers will be questioning whether it is worth buying premium milk replacer worth €65/20kg bag.

Before making any decisions coming into spring, it is important to work out your own values, as every farm is different, asking yourself how much you are actually saving.

Come spring, if you are still saving even €1 per calf by feeding replacer, it will work out at a savings of €100 when rearing 100 calves.

A lot of farmers may also be thinking ahead and buying replacer on this side of the new year in case prices do continue to fall even further.

Prices

The prices of milk replacers went up by most companies last year by roughly €3-€4 in comparison to the year prior, but seem to be staying relatively stable so far this year.

Below is a table that outlines some of the popular milk replacers on the market and the price you can expect to pay for them.

However, it is important to note that these prices may change depending on markets and suppliers, so this template should only be used as a guide.

When buying a milk replacer, the cost should not be the most important criteria.

The product should ideally have a protein content of 23-26%, an oil content of 16-20%, a fibre content of less than 0.15%, and no more than 8.5% ash for the calf to thrive.

Buying lower quality products for cheaper prices may work out as less cost-effective, as the contents may not meet the calves' nutritional values.