Rearing a calf well comes down to three numbers: how much milk replacer per kilogram of calf, how strong to mix it, and when the calf is eating enough solid feed to come off milk. This guide sets those out from ProviCo's own ProfeLAC directions and from the maker listings for the starter and grower feeds we stock, then covers the stages after weaning. It is written for small holdings and hobby farms rearing a few calves at a time; commercial operations should work from their vet's and nutritionist's program.
The stages at a glance
| Stage | Feed | Products in our range |
|---|---|---|
| First days | Colostrum, then milk or milk replacer | ProfeLAC GOLD |
| A few days old to about 12 weeks | Milk replacer plus a starter pellet or muesli, water and straw from the start | CopRice Calf Starter, Reid Baby Calf Muesli, Barastoc Calf Rearer |
| About 12 weeks to 9 months | Grower or rearer pellets with forage | FeedRite Calf Rearer Mix, CopRice Calf Grower, Reid Calf Rearer |
| Heifers 300 kg and up | Heifer developer or yearling mix with forage | Barastoc Heifer Developer, Reid Yearling Mix |
Milk replacer: how much and how strong
ProviCo's guidance for ProfeLAC GOLD is to feed approximately 1.5 percent of the calf's bodyweight as milk solids per day, mixed at 13 to 15 percent dry matter, fed at about 38 degrees and never above 40. ProviCo's worked example is a 50 kg calf needing 750 g of powder a day, split across the day's feeds. Using ProviCo's figures, the daily powder amounts work out as:
| Calf weight | Powder per day (1.5% of bodyweight) | Per feed, twice daily |
|---|---|---|
| 40 kg | 600 g | 300 g |
| 45 kg | 675 g | 340 g |
| 50 kg | 750 g | 375 g |
| 60 kg | 900 g | 450 g |
| 70 kg | 1,050 g | 525 g |
ProviCo sets ceilings as well: avoid feeding over 1.1 kg of solids a day to Holsteins or over 0.9 kg a day to Jerseys. A 13 to 15 percent dry-matter mix is roughly 130 to 150 g of powder per litre of finished milk, so a 375 g feed is about 2.5 to 3 litres. ProviCo's mixing method is to add the powder to half the required volume of warm water, mix, then top up to the full volume.
Weigh or measure the calf rather than guessing; a calf that gains weight moves up the table every week or two. A 20 kg bag of powder at 750 g a day lasts about 27 days for one calf.
Medicated or not
ProfeLAC GOLD is a medicated milk replacer: ProviCo formulates it with Bovatec (lasalocid) to aid coccidiosis management and average daily gain. The same applies to the CopRice starter and grower pellets, which contain lasalocid sodium. Every one of those listings carries the same warning, and it matters on a mixed hobby farm: lasalocid is toxic to dogs and horses, and products containing it must not be fed to them. Store medicated calf feeds where the dog and the pony cannot reach them, and do not use the calf bucket for anything else.
Starter pellets from the first week
Solid feed is what develops the rumen, so the makers all start it early. CopRice describes Calf Starter as a palatable starter pellet that transitions calves from liquid to solid feed from a few days old until they move onto pasture at around 12 weeks, at 20 percent protein and 12 MJ per kilogram with a rumen buffer. Reid's Baby Calf Muesli is a 19 percent protein starter that uses molasses and flavours to stick to wet noses so young calves try solid feed before trough feeding; Reid says to feed it unrestricted before weaning with fresh, clean water and good quality fibre such as barley straw, fresh feed daily. Barastoc's Calf Rearer pellets are the line most people search for in this category; follow the feeding directions on the bag.
Two practical points from those directions: fresh water from day one, because a calf on milk still needs it once starter goes in, and clean straw rather than lush hay in the early weeks, which the makers specify as the fibre alongside the starter.
When to wean
The makers' schedules put the move to pasture and grower feed at around 12 weeks: CopRice's starter runs to around 12 weeks and its grower starts at 12 weeks; FeedRite's Calf Rearer Mix is fed from 12 weeks to 9 months and follows on from the starter once calves come off milk. The cue is intake of solid feed, not the calendar: a calf that is eating starter steadily every day is ready to have the milk stepped down, and one that is not should stay on milk longer. Step milk down over a week or two rather than stopping in one day.
Twelve weeks to nine months
- FeedRite Calf Rearer Mix: pellets plus steam-flaked grain for rumen development, 18 percent protein, 12 MJ per kilogram, no urea, no restricted animal material, fed ad lib from 12 weeks to 9 months.
- CopRice Calf Grower: 18 percent protein, 12 MJ, fed with straw, hay or other dry forage from 12 weeks to 9 months; medicated with lasalocid.
- Reid Calf Rearer: formulated for calves from 100 to 200 kg to support final-stage rumen development, fed unrestricted with water and barley straw.
Heifers from 300 kg
Reid's Yearling Mix is formulated for dairy heifers from 300 kg upwards to lift energy and body condition as they grow out, introduced gradually alongside forage; Reid's note that the first two years are critical for frame and muscle growth is the reason to set target weights and weigh them. Barastoc Heifer Developer is the Barastoc equivalent; feed to the directions on the bag.
Scours and electrolytes
A scouring calf is a vet call, and dehydration is the immediate danger. ProviCo's directions for its non-medicated electrolyte (ProfeSTART, now listed as ProSTART) are one 60 g sachet in 2 litres of clean warm water at 40 degrees, with calves taking 2 litres per head two to three times daily for two to three days. Keep a box on hand before you need it; the first day of scours is not the day to order.
Buying feed for several calves
Milk powder, starter and grower come in 20 kg bags and a few calves go through them quickly, so people rearing more than three or four tend to order in multiples. Bags over 10 kg ship as bulky items with their own weight-based rates, and for pallet quantities it is worth asking us for a freight quote before checking out rather than paying per-bag rates.
Frequently asked questions
How much milk replacer does a calf need per day?
ProviCo's guidance for ProfeLAC GOLD is about 1.5 percent of bodyweight as milk solids: 600 g a day for a 40 kg calf, 750 g for 50 kg, 900 g for 60 kg, split across two feeds, with ceilings of 1.1 kg for Holsteins and 0.9 kg for Jerseys.
How do I mix calf milk replacer?
ProviCo: mix at 13 to 15 percent dry matter (about 130 to 150 g per litre of finished milk), add the powder to half the warm water, mix, then top up to volume, and feed at about 38 degrees, never above 40.
When can calves start on pellets?
From a few days old. CopRice's Calf Starter and Reid's Baby Calf Muesli are both fed unrestricted alongside milk, with water and straw, until around 12 weeks.
When do I wean a calf off milk?
The makers' schedules move to grower feed at around 12 weeks; the real cue is that the calf eats starter steadily every day. Step the milk down over a week or two.
Can I feed medicated calf pellets or milk powder to my horse or dog?
No. ProfeLAC GOLD and the CopRice starter and grower contain lasalocid, which the makers state is toxic to dogs and horses. Keep them separate.
What do I give a scouring calf?
Call the vet, and rehydrate: ProviCo's electrolyte directions are 60 g in 2 litres of warm water, 2 litres per head two to three times a day for two to three days.
Shop next: Cattle · ProfeLAC GOLD · CopRice Calf Starter · Barastoc Calf Rearer · Other Farm Animals
Sources
Product facts in this guide are taken from the manufacturers' own pages listed below and from the product listings on this site; general care points are given as practical guidance, not veterinary advice. Last reviewed 17 September 2026.
- ProviCo Rural: ProfeLAC GOLD Medicated Calf Milk Replacer
- Barastoc: Calf Rearer Pellets