How is the Milk Bar Teat different from other teats?

The first thing Milk Bar did when designing the Milk Bar Teat was to study how a calf feeds in its natural environment. The major difference that we noticed between a calf suckling from a cow and a calf feeding from other calf teats was that the suckled calf produced much more saliva while feeding, and did not suck on other items, or other calves after feeding. Milk Bar then designed the Milk Bar Teat to simulate a cow teat as closely as possible so the calf would have the same natural suckling action as if it were drinking from a cow, although the Milk Bar Teat does feed faster than a cow.

Does that mean that I can feed my calves in groups with no cross sucking?

Yes. The Milk Bar Teat was designed for group feeding. You will not normally get any cross sucking unless the teats are badly worn and need replacing.

How long do they last?

Each Milk Bar Teat should feed 4 or 5 calves from the first feed through to weaning. The cleaner they are kept, the longer they will last.

What should Milk Bar Teats be cleaned with?

Milk Bar Teats are made with a natural rubber compound, which will absorb milk fat. They should be cleaned regularly with an alkali based dairy detergent in warm water to remove any fat.

Does the Milk Bar Teat have a valve fitted?

No, we found that when a calf is feed from a teat with a valve fitted, it very soon learns to pump the teat instead of suckling.

What do you mean by "pump" the teat?

If you have a valve type teat fitted to a container of milk, and you squeeze the teat, you will get a squirt of milk as the valve makes the teat work like a pump. A calf that is fed with a valve type teat soon learns to pump the teat and swallow the milk, the calf with the fastest jaw action gets the most milk. If you squeeze a cows teat nothing at all will happen. To get milk from a cow a calf needs to

What advantage is there in a calf suckling instead of pumping?

The natural suckling action produces saliva, which has many benefits for animal health. Saliva contains enzymes which aid digestion, it also has natural antibiotic properties which help to keep calves healthy. After feeding calves that are fed on valve type teats behave exactly the same as calves that are fed from a bucket, they suck on anything they can find in an attempt to produce the saliva that they need to digest the milk. Calves fed from a Milk Bar Teat produce the saliva they need while feeding, so it is swallowed with the milk as nature intended.