Why Choosing a Milk Replacer with Deccox®-M Matters for Calf Health

Coccidiosis is one of the most common and costly diseases affecting young dairy calves. It often flies under the radar until calves show signs of diarrhea, poor growth, or even sudden setbacks after what seemed like a healthy start. Prevention is key—and that’s where your choice of milk replacer can make a real difference.

Coccidiostats like Deccox®-M are added to calf starters to help prevent coccidiosis. However, there’s a catch: calves don’t eat enough starter in the first few weeks of life to consume a sufficient dose of coccidiostat for reliable protection.

That’s why choosing a milk replacer that includes Deccox®-M is so important. By incorporating the coccidiostat into the milk replacer—the primary source of nutrition in the first few weeks—you can help protect calves from the earliest stages of infection, before it starts to impact gut health and growth.

The Benefits of Deccox®-M in Milk Replacer:

Early protection: Calves receive a consistent daily dose from day one, regardless of how much starter they eat.

Supports gut health: Prevents intestinal damage and maintains nutrient absorption.

Improves performance: Calves stay healthier and more resilient through weaning and transition.

Easy to manage: No extra steps—just feed the milk replacer as normal.

If you’re serious about protecting your calves from coccidiosis, don’t rely on starter feed alone. In the critical first weeks of life, milk is the main delivery system for nutrients—and it can be your most effective tool for delivering prevention too. Choose a high-quality milk replacer with Deccox®-M to give your calves the best start possible.

To evaluate the impact of including Deccox®-M in milk replacer, a trial was conducted at the Mapleview Agri
Future Performance Research Centre. By incorporating Deccox®-M into milk replacer, this trial aimed to
determine its effects on both calf health and growth performance. This trial compared two 26-26-17 milk
replacers, one which included Deccox®-M and one without, and evaluated weight gain, feed efficiency, and health
implications. View the trial results here.

At Mapleview Agri, we offer several of our high-quality milk replacers with Deccox®-M included—so you can deliver effective coccidiosis prevention right from the start. These products are backed by research and built for real-world performance on Canadian dairy farms.

You can explore our full range of milk replacer options with Deccox®-M here.