We have been the Milk Bar dealer in the Benelux since 2008. Back then, the only available feeding methods were an automatic calf-feeder, a regular teat bucket and having the calves drink from a bucket or trough.
Now, many cattle farmers know better: healthy calf-rearing relies on having the calves drink slowly in a natural drinking position while producing plenty of saliva.
Thanks to Milk Bar we have succeeded in getting many calves drinking from a teat throughout the entire milk-feeding phase. In small groups, all in all out, on a Milk Bar. A beautiful sight. Healthy, contented calves one and all, which makes you happy as a cattle farmer. However, we were less successful in promoting the adoption of the Milk Bar system as a whole. In the initial and often most difficult rearing phase in one-calf pens, many calves were still fed using the (fast) valve teat. Why?
The feedback we received from cattle farmers revealed various reasons:
This was food for thought for us. As long as calves are in the one-calf pen we need a slow teat in a teat bucket that is nicely priced, easier to clean and allows for easy changing of teats, is fitted with a lid and mounted to the most commonly used suspension system. In 2016 we started developing the ECF teat bucket. These buckets are very compatible with the Milk Bar system.
Milk Bar also offers several models for lambs and kids. Over the years many farmers have stopped feeding lambs unlimited quantities of milk, because with limited quantities of milk the transition to concentrates and roughages is smoother, which results in better growth and development.
