In order to minimize this risk, but also to make work easier and for cost reasons, sour drinking processes (sour milk, yoghurt milk, soured whole milk with acetic, formic or citric acid) are increasingly being used, especially in calf rearing. Without much technical effort, the acidified milk can be offered to the calves for free consumption at a lower temperature and regardless of feeding times.

The aim of the present experiment was to examine the suitability of yoghurt sour drink in comparison to warm whole milk drink in a calf fattening trial with a live weight of 50 to 180 kg. For this purpose, parameters for milk and feed intake, growth performance, nutrient utilization, carcass and meat quality were recorded. In addition, the present project aimed to develop blood reference values ​​for fattening calves with whole milk and to evaluate the possible effects of additional oral iron supplementation in the first weeks of life on the results of calf fattening. In addition to milk, the calves had constant free access to concentrated feed, hay and water.