Colostrum is crucial when it comes to getting calves off to a flying start, as it not only helps to protect the young calf against diseases for the first few weeks of life, but it is also a rich source of nutrients that are important for growth and development.

However, there is always the danger that many calves will receive insufficient colostrum – in terms of quality and quantity – to provide them with adequate passive immunity.

“Producers should look to give between four and six litres of top-quality colostrum within the first 24 hours following birth,” says Cargill’s calf and heifer specialist Bianca Theeruth.

“Between two and three litres, or the equivalent to 10% of the calf’s body weight, should be fed within two hours of birth.

And speed is of the essence here. Colostrum feeding targets should ideally be met within six to eight hours following birth to ensure the highest absorption of immunoglobulins.

“The efficiency of antibody absorption begins to decline rapidly from birth onwards,” she explains.

“In the first two hours of life the calf’s intestinal tract is able to absorb the maximum amount of immunoglobulins, so early feeding is essential,” she said.

According to Irish dairy vet Tommy Julian, many progressive producers have ‘best practice’ protocols in place when it comes to colostrum feeding and management.

But the vet from XLVets Ireland O’Connor and Julian Cashel Vets said there are herds that could up their game, particularly in terms of measuring colostrum quality and ensuring that calves receive the recommended amount as soon as possible after birth.

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“The amount of protective antibodies absorbed by the calf very much depends on the starting quality of the colostrum – the higher the concentration, the more antibodies the calf can absorb.

“A much higher volume of poor quality colostrum will have to be fed to offer the same level of protection as a smaller quantity of good quality colostrum.

“So calves may be getting enough colostrum, but if it is of poor quality then it will have little effect on boosting calf health,” he says.

He stresses that producers must test colostrum to ensure that its immunoglobulins levels are at least 50g/l, if not more, and that total bacterial count (TBC) is lower than 100,000cfu/ml.

This is important because bacterial numbers in warm colostrum can double every 20 minutes.

“I am seeing an increasing number of producers who are testing colostrum and, if quality isn’t good enough, they will thaw, warm and feed colostrum that they’ve stored that does meet the immunoglobulin requirements.

They recognise that if the quality isn’t good enough then it’s not going to do what is an essential job in protecting the calf from disease.

“If producers are in any doubt about the effectiveness of their colostrum management, they should ask their vet to run some simple blood tests on calves to determine whether their colostrum feeding programme is providing adequate passive immunity in calves.

“Also, it is possible to use in-house testing to check the quality of the colostrum by using a refractometer and specific gravity gauges.”

Protecting calf health and maximising growth

Once colostrum quality has been checked, ensuring that new-born calves receive enough as soon as possible after birth is the next vital step to protecting calf health and maximising growth.

Both Bianca and Tommy agree that feeding should be ‘quiet’ to minimise stress and ensure efficient absorption of protective antibodies.

Hygiene should be tip top too. Tommy stressed that there should be no contamination during colostrum collection, transfer or feeding and says he prefers to see calves take colostrum through a teat, as this gets them used to suckling from a bottle or feeder.

But he’s aware that labour and time constraints mean that some producers prefer to tube feed colostrum for ease and speed.

Calf specialist Bianca adds that the colostrum itself should also be ‘managed’ well.

Feeding is at body temperature – about 39°C – is vital.

“If using frozen colostrum from another cow, this should be thawed in a fridge overnight and warmed in a water bath to a maximum temperature 50°C – so the colostrum reaches between 40°C and 42°C.

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“Producers should check the temperature with a thermometer and, once warmed, the colostrum should be used immediately.

“It’s vital that these procedures are followed as the young calf is vulnerable and can succumb to infections – and the setback is costly in performance terms in the short and longer term.

“It is often difficult to catch up.

“When it comes to hygiene, feeders should be rinsed in cold water first and then washed with hot water. The cold-water rinse prevents ‘cooking’ the colostrum and milk proteins with the hot water, and makes proper cleaning easier and more effective.

“Whatever method is used, good hygiene is key.

“This starts with the disease status of the cow supplying the colostrum – she must of course be Johne’s free – and carries through to udder, operator and equipment cleanliness.”

The first 60 days in a calf’s life are crucial as growth rates in these early days have a long-term effect on the overall lifetime productivity of the replacement heifer,” she said. Click for more information on calf health