Milk replacer costs for 2026 have changed little since last year with the Irish Farmers Journal milk replacer cost analysis showing that prices have gone up by 64/t or the equivalent of 1c/l of mixed milk.
These relatively low-price changes are surprising given the substantial reduction in dairy prices over the last few months.
To put it in context, a tonne of skim milk powder, a key ingredient in calf milk replacer, was trading at around €2,445/t this time last year whereas now its costing €2,055/t.
This is a 16% drop in price whereas the price of milk replacer, as reported in the table opposite, shows that prices went up slightly.
However, whey powder, another component in calf milk replacers, has increased between the start and the end of 2025, with EU whey powder prices over €1,070/t, up about €70/t on this time last year.
The vast majority of calf milk replacers are a blend of whey and skim but usually one of the protein sources dominates the mixture.
Skim-based milk replacers form a clot in the abomasum and are digested like whole milk, whereas whey-based milk replacers are digested in the small intestine.
Research shows no real difference in performance between whey and skim-based milk replacers.
One of the questions farmers often ask is whether they are better off feeding milk replacer or whole milk to calves?
Currently, milk prices are in or around 36c/l including VAT, whereas the average price of milk replacer is around 34c/l .
Based on this, farmers would be better off selling their milk for higher prices and buying in milk replacer.
However, it’s important to note that the milk price quoted above is the November milk price, with the December milk price not announced until later in January.
If a further 2c/l is taken off the December milk price, then the difference in price between whole milk and milk replacer is minimal.
Mixing milk replacer by hand
There are a few other considerations too, such as what the milk price will be in February, March and April when most of the milk replacer is used. It’s also important to note the impact of higher or lower solids on milk price, with higher solids milk commanding a higher price and vice versa.
Of course, this also has an impact on the feed quality of the milk with a litre of higher solids milk being more nutritious than lower solids milk.
This means that calves being fed milk with low fat and protein percent will need more of it in order to get the same feeding as they would from higher solids milk or milk replacer.
Mixing
The labour attached to feeding milk replacer is another consideration.
Of course, this is really only a concern on dairy farms where the option of feeding whole milk exists, but for beef farms there is no choice but to mix milk replacer.
The popularity of automated calf feeders has obviously increased dramatically in recent years which greatly reduces the workload when feeding milk replacer.
But for those who mix it by hand, it can be more laboursome than whole milk.
Depending on the number of calves to be fed, there are relatively low cost solutions to making the job easier.
One such solution is a small electric pump at the bottom of a 200l blue barrel.
The outlet pipe from the barrel should have a tee, allowing for the liquid to circulate back into the top of the barrel for mixing and for filling buckets or feeders. Such systems reduce the need for a lot of buckets and hand mixing.
Milk replacer costs for 2026 have changed little since last year with the Irish Farmers Journal milk replacer cost analysis showing that prices have gone up by 64/t or the equivalent of 1c/l of mixed milk.
These relatively low-price changes are surprising given the substantial reduction in dairy prices over the last few months.
To put it in context, a tonne of skim milk powder, a key ingredient in calf milk replacer, was trading at around €2,445/t this time last year whereas now its costing €2,055/t.
This is a 16% drop in price whereas the price of milk replacer, as reported in the table opposite, shows that prices went up slightly.
However, whey powder, another component in calf milk replacers, has increased between the start and the end of 2025, with EU whey powder prices over €1,070/t, up about €70/t on this time last year.
The vast majority of calf milk replacers are a blend of whey and skim but usually one of the protein sources dominates the mixture.
Skim-based milk replacers form a clot in the abomasum and are digested like whole milk, whereas whey-based milk replacers are digested in the small intestine.
Research shows no real difference in performance between whey and skim-based milk replacers.
One of the questions farmers often ask is whether they are better off feeding milk replacer or whole milk to calves?
Currently, milk prices are in or around 36c/l including VAT, whereas the average price of milk replacer is around 34c/l .
Based on this, farmers would be better off selling their milk for higher prices and buying in milk replacer.
However, it’s important to note that the milk price quoted above is the November milk price, with the December milk price not announced until later in January.
If a further 2c/l is taken off the December milk price, then the difference in price between whole milk and milk replacer is minimal.
Mixing milk replacer by hand
There are a few other considerations too, such as what the milk price will be in February, March and April when most of the milk replacer is used. It’s also important to note the impact of higher or lower solids on milk price, with higher solids milk commanding a higher price and vice versa.
Of course, this also has an impact on the feed quality of the milk with a litre of higher solids milk being more nutritious than lower solids milk.
This means that calves being fed milk with low fat and protein percent will need more of it in order to get the same feeding as they would from higher solids milk or milk replacer.
Mixing
The labour attached to feeding milk replacer is another consideration.
Of course, this is really only a concern on dairy farms where the option of feeding whole milk exists, but for beef farms there is no choice but to mix milk replacer.
The popularity of automated calf feeders has obviously increased dramatically in recent years which greatly reduces the workload when feeding milk replacer.
But for those who mix it by hand, it can be more laboursome than whole milk.
Depending on the number of calves to be fed, there are relatively low cost solutions to making the job easier.
One such solution is a small electric pump at the bottom of a 200l blue barrel.
The outlet pipe from the barrel should have a tee, allowing for the liquid to circulate back into the top of the barrel for mixing and for filling buckets or feeders. Such systems reduce the need for a lot of buckets and hand mixing.
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