Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Colostrum Management Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center

Percent calves born dead, died, or were lost prior to weaning 2.9 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 2.1 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.1 Born dead 24 hrs or less 24 hrs – 3 wks 3 wks – weaning 1996 2007 NAHMS Beef ‘97, ’07-’08 Study

Age Immunity Age Immunity Age Immunity Passive Passive Acquired Antibodies from colostrum Age Immunity Passive Antibodies from colostrum Acquired Active immune response Age Immunity Passive Acquired Window of vulnerability

Failure of Passive Transfer < 1000 mg/dl at 24-48 hrs.=FPT Weaver et al., 2000; Calloway et al., 2002 < 800 mg/dl vs. >1600 mg/dl 3.2 – 9.5 times more likely to become sick 5.4 times more likely to die Wittum and Perino, 1995 <2400 mg/dl vs. >2400 mg/dl 1.6 times more likely to become sick 2.7 times more likely to die Dewell, et. al., 2006 <2400 mg/dl Increased chance of death and treatment Born to heifers, as twins, or from difficult births=low serum IgG levels Waldner and Rosengren, 2009

Colostrum management “First milk”:

Colostrum management “First milk”: Give adequate volume ASAP Immunoglobulin (antibodies) Varies (16-120mg/ml) Fat (5-7%) Vitamin A & E Carbohydrates and protein (14-15%) Give adequate volume ASAP ?

Colostrum management This is why it is important to not let the calf go without feeding colostrum. As time goes by the pores that allow it to enter the blood from the intestines close and delay of colostrum feeding leads to decreased absorption with leads to decreased immunity which leads to increased susceptibility to illnesses such as scours, pneumonia, and joint infections and eventually death.

Timing

Colostrum management “First milk”: Give adequate volume ASAP Immunoglobulin (antibodies) IgG varies (16-120mg/ml) Fat (5-7%) Vitamin A & E Carbohydrates and protein (14-15%) Give adequate volume ASAP Feed immediately 7-10% BW

Rule of Thumb: Feed 1 gram IgG per pound of body weight-maybe more?? Calculation: 100 lbs calf = 45.5 kg calf ~ 7% of body wt is blood => 3.2 liters = 32.0 dl ~ 70% of blood is serum => 22.4 dl ~6.7 gm of protein/dl of blood => 150 gm protein (minimum) ~ 0.55 gm IgG/gm of protein => 82 gm IgG

Colostrum management “First milk”: Give adequate volume ASAP Immunoglobulin (antibodies) Fat Vitamin A & E Carbohydrates and protein Give adequate volume ASAP Feed immediately 7-10% volume BW 1 gram/lb body wt

Colostrum Quality Beef vs. Dairy-IgG Level? Cow vs. heifer Colostrum assessment Brix Refractometer 23% Colostrometer 80 mg/ml Calf assessment 8.4% Serum Total Protein 5.5 g/ml

Serum IgG Correlations-Not Always! % Brix STP (g/dL) IgG (g/L) 8.3 5.2 10.2 8.1 12.8 5.1 14.7 15.7 8.0 5.0 16.6 5.5 16.7 8.2 5.4 20.6 14.5 4.7 10.1 5.3 Saskatoon Colostrum Co. Ltd.

Colostrum management “First milk”: Give adequate volume ASAP Sources Immunoglobulin (antibodies) Fat Vitamin A & E Carbohydrates and protein Give adequate volume ASAP Feed immediately 1 gram/lb body wt Sources

Colostrum management “First milk”: Give adequate volume ASAP Sources Immunoglobulin (antibodies) Fat Vitamin A & E Carbohydrates and protein Give adequate volume ASAP Feed immediately 1 gram/lb body wt Sources Dam Cow herdmate – fresh or frozen Dairy colostrum? Powdered colostrum?

Colostrum Supplement Cost Replacer Can be fed alone What is the appropriate IgG level? What’s missing? Supplement Fed with maternal colostrum IgG level?

Which do you recommend? Why? Cost example Product IgG/Dose Cost/Dose Cost/g IgG Save-A-Caf 55 $12.29 $0.22 Colostrix CR 100 $31.95 $0.32 LifeLine $25.95 $0.26 Calf’s Choice $27.49 $0.28 Colostrix CS 50 $11.95 $0.24 Manna Pro ? $11.49 Which do you recommend? Why?

Apparent Efficiency of Absorption, % Number of Means Average Maximum Minimum IgG Intake, g Maternal Colostrum 19 203 447 53 Colostrum-based Replacer 21 126 210 18 Serum-based Replacer 30 129 260 Colostrum-based Supplement 8 157 297 85 Serum-based Supplement 4 96 100 90 Serum IgG, mg/mL 25 16 27 3 11 20 2 9 5 10 6 7 Apparent Efficiency of Absorption, % 23 36 14 33 51 12 22 38 15 26 32

Discussion?