Colostrum quantity and quality must not be overlooked this spring, as many spring calving herds have started calving down in the last number of days, and many farmers are expecting the arrival of calves in the matter of days.
It is important for farmers to ensure that calves are receiving high quality colostrum and are receiving enough of it as soon as possible after calving.
Unlike humans, antibody transfer does not occur in utero in cows, which means it is vital for the calf to absorb enough antibodies from colostrum as soon as possible.
If the calf does not receive colostrum or receives it as poor quality, the calf will be at a higher risk of illness and death, and even if they survive, the calf will have reduced growth rates subsequently.
The importance of colostrum quality and quantity was highlighted at the Animal Health Ireland (AHI) CalfCare events, as it was highlighted as being the foundation for calf performance, live weight gain and resilience to disease and infection.
It was urged for farmers to remember the ‘1-2-3’ colostrum rule so that the calf gets colostrum from the first milking for the first feed, within two hours of the calf’s birth and give at least 3L.
Good quality colostrum is like a vaccination for calves, as it provides the calves with immunity, which will provide the calf with the protection it needs, along with feeding transition milk for five days.
If cows were vaccinated before calving for the likes of cryptosporidium, then it is essential for calves to receive the right quantity of colostrum so that immunity is transferred to the calf.
Colostrum quality
Colostrum contains high levels of energy compared to normal milk, which is essential, as new born calves have very fat reserves and these reserves are quickly used to maintain body temperature in the absence of colostrum feeding.
Beestings quality can be measured with a colostrometer or a brix refractometer that should read values of above 22% if the beestings is suitable to be fed for new-born calves.
High quality colostrum will be delivered from a cow in good condition at calving and that has had a good plane of nutrition throughout the dry period.
The introduction of a quality dry cow mineral is also important in producing high quality colostrum, and where the silage is poor, extra feeding will help improve the colostrum quality.
Timing is crucial, antibody levels are at their highest within eight hours post calving and drop dramatically after that, so feeding the calf as soon as possible after calving is crucial.
While maximum absorption of antibodies occurs within two hours of birth, the absorption capacity is reduced to 50% within six hours of birth as per AHI.
Colostrum needs to be managed and collected in a clean, hygienic manner, making sure to clean the cow’s teat prior to first milking and making sure the beestings is going into a clean bucket is crucial.
If colostrum is not taken cleanly or stored correctly, any bacteria present in it will multiply and even if it is antibody rich, they will not be absorbed.
To avoid destroying any antibodies this spring, when you are reheating the stored colostrum, gently heat at less than 50℃.