Colostrum is one of, if not the, most important thing for newborn calves. It lays the very foundation for their health and well-being throughout the remainder of their life. Through the dam, the calf takes in all of the antibodies it will need to fight off disease. But what if they are not able to get it from their mother?
Using a colostrum replacer or supplement can be a very confusing matter to figure out. There are many different choices to go as well as different delivery styles. Now ideally every one of your new calves will get up and start nursing on their own. Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world.
There are some times that you will need to provide assistance to the newborn to get them on the right foot. This can come in the form of providing a colostrum replacer. No matter if it is natural or replacer you only have a 4-hour window for it to be effective. If you find yourself in that situation here are 5 tips that can help you get the most effective use out of it.
Tip #1: If needed, give a full dose
When it comes to bottle feeding a calf it is not a good idea to just “give them a little to hold them over”. The thing is that no matter how much you give the walls of the stomach will begin to close making it more difficult to absorb all of the antibodies and nutrients. When providing colostrum you need to feed the calf as much as you can. This will make sure that it receives the number of antibodies it will need in order to survive.
If it is a situation where you are getting it from the momma cow then you should milk out as much as you can. Researchers have found that 85% of colostrum samples will be of high enough quality to provide greater than 100g of IgG if the calves are fed 4 quarts in the first feeding. Since the typical calf-sized bottle is 2 quarts that means that you will need to feed 2 bottles. If it is possible feed an additional 2 quarts 12 hours after birth.
When you are using a replacer be sure to mix up the amount that it has listed as a full dose. A full dose will provide 100-120 grams of antibodies which is the recommended amount. If you are not really that good with math it will be around 2 packages.
Tip #2: Use Colostrum Replacer not Colostrum Supplement
Now there can be some confusion with this statement but it is pretty easy to understand. You should use the replacer in a situation where the dam is not able to provide colostrum to the calf. Whereas a supplement should be used in the case where she is not able to provide enough.
Colostrum contains immunoglobins that are needed for the calf’s immune system to work properly. Research suggests that a calf should consume at least 100g of IgG within 4 hours of birth. Now how much does each supply you may ask?
Colostrum supplements typically contain 40-60g of IgG per dose and are meant to be fed in conjunction with the natural colostrum. A replacer provides at least 100g per dose. Another thing to know is that the replacer also includes digestible proteins, vitamins, and minerals. As I said the supplement for supplementing what is already being provided.
In order to tell the difference then all you will have to do is look at the label. The label on a replacer should state that it contains dried colostrum.
Tip #3: Bottle feeding is best
When providing supplemental colostrum it is better to use a bottle instead of a stomach tube. The suckling motion that the calf is required to do for the bottle is better for it. When using a tube the liquid tends to deposit into the rumen meaning not as much will be absorbed.
When the calf goes through the suckling process it fosters the rumen to close which will allow the liquid to pass straight onto the intestines. This will allow the nutrients to be better and faster absorbed by the calf.
Tip#4: Keep the momma in shape
Keeping cows in a BCS score of 5 or 6 before calving will result in fewer newborn problems in your herd. Cows in this condition will birth quicker as well as produce better colostrum.
The calf will also get up quicker and receive better antibody protection from the colostrum. Providing cows with proper nutrition before calving can put antibodies into the cow’s bloodstream. This will be of benefit to the calf when it takes in the colostrum. I go into a little more detail about how to do this in a previous post “The calving nutrition article of your dreams”.
There have been several studies that have shown that when cows are in good body condition score they are less likely to have any calving difficulties. Speaking of calving difficulties…
Tip #5: Give special attention to calves that have been pulled
Hopefully, you won’t have to but if you do pay extra special attention to them. The process of pulling a calf can cause some serious problems for the calf.
The stress of being pulled can cause acidosis and/or depressed brain function in the calf. This can prevent the calf from getting up or even not taking in any colostrum.
One way you can find out if the calf has a strong suckling ability is to put a finger in its mouth. If it starts sucking on your finger then everything should be fine and it will nurse on its own. If it doesn’t then you may have some problems that you will have to deal with.
Bonus Tip: Make sure you feed the right amount
Providing a colostrum supplement or replacer won’t do you much good if the calf is not getting the amount that it needs. If you will be using natural colostrum they must be kept frozen to protect the integrity of the protein molecules in the immunoglobins. They can be stored in 1-quart doses by putting that much in 1-gallon-size Ziploc bags. Place the bag in warm water to thaw it out quickly.
It is recommended that a calf should take in 5% to 6% of its body weight within the first 6 hours of life. A second dose of another 5% to 6% should be consumed when the calf is 12 hours old, or another 6 hours after it is born.
To put it in layman’s terms for an 80lb calf that will equal about 4 quarts of colostrum per feeding. Suppose I should add that colostrum should be the first thing that goes into the calf’s mouth. Do not give them things like probiotics till they have had all that they need.
