Table 4.

Dry matter intake (DMI) of calf starter (CS), total DMI (milk replacer plus CS), and feed efficiency (gain:feed) of calves fed milk replacer (MR) containing essential oils (EO)

Treatments1
Item	CON	EP	EPC	SEM
No. calves	20	16	20	—
CS DMI, kg/d
1 to 56 d	0.56	0.65	0.57	—
Total DMI, kg/d
1 to 56 d	1.06	1.14	1.06	0.05
Gain per feed
1 to 56 d	0.49	0.48	0.50	0.02

¹CON = control [a 24:20% CP:fat (as-fed basis) MR without EOC]; EP = EOC mixed into the 24:20% CP:fat MR at a rate of 1.25 g/d; EPC = EOC mixed into the 24:20% CP:fat MR at a rate of 1.25 g/d in addition of two 10-mL oral doses of liquid EOC at birth and 12 h. All MR were fed at 0.28 kg 2 times per day for 14 d, then 0.43 kg 2 times per day from days 15 to 35, and then MR were fed 1 time per day from day 36 to weaning at day 42.