Colostrum for
Dairy Calves

Dairy calves are the next generation of animals in the milking herd. To reach their genetic potential, they need a solid start on the first day of life. Colostrum is essential for calf survival and has lasting impacts on lifelong productivity. With colostrum applications for every calving scenario, SCCL has the solutions to set every calf up for sucess.

Colostrum for
Dairy Calves

Dairy calves are the next generation of animals in the milking herd. To reach their genetic potential, they need a solid start on the first days of life. Colostrum is essential for calf survival and has lasting impacts on lifelong productivity. With colostrum applications for every calving scenario, SCCL has the solutions to set every calf up for sucess.

Solutions that are simple and effective

Maternal colostrum can be variable, inconsistent, and challenging to manage, yet your calves all need complete colostrum to achieve passive transfer of immunity. SCCL has developed these three fundamental steps for successful calf management!

Defend

Replacement
Completely replacing maternal colostrum with a colostrum product.

Supplement
Feeding a colostrum product in addition to available maternal colostrum.

Enrichment
Adding colostrum powder directly into maternal colostrum to improve the quality.

Transition

Mimic transition milk by adding colostrum powder to the calf’s whole milk or milk replacer diet for the first two weeks of life to provide ongoing nourishment and to maintain gut health.

Restore

Feeding a colostrum product to rebuild gut health during times of stress.

Day 1: Defend

Can I feed colostrum to the calf quickly?

Calves have a short window of opportunity to absorb antibodies for successful passive transfer of immunity. If they don’t receive colostrum quickly, they will not establish the immunity they need for a healthy start. The first feeding to a newborn calf should be as soon as possible, ideally within the first two hours. A second feeding can be fed within the next eight hours to assure the necessary volume is consumed within the first 10-12 hours of life.

If you cannot feed maternal colostrum quickly, especially for calves born at night, feed a full replacement of SCCL colostrum right away.

Is my colostrum high enough quality for the calf?

Calves need colostrum that is high in antibody concentration. You can estimate colostrum quality by using an optical or digital Brix refractometer. <22% Brix indicates poor quality colostrum 22-25% Brix indicates adequate quality colostrum >25% Brix indicates good quality colostrum When maternal colostrum is low quality, download the enrichment guide for next steps.

Do I have enough volume of colostrum for the calf?

Calves need to consume 10% of their body weight in colostrum (40kg calf needs 4 liters).

Adequate = 2-3 liters

Excellent = 3-4 liters

When you have less than 4 liters of maternal colostrum, you supplement that feeding with SCCL colostrum.

Is my colostrum clean and safe to feed?

Maternal colostrum is a common carrier for disease-causing pathogens and bacteria. To prevent cross contamination, do not pool maternal colostrum and consider heat treatment. • Do not feed colostrum from cows with Johne’s, mycoplasma or other diseases. • Feed quickly or refrigerate as bacteria counts can double every 20 minutes. If you are unsure of the safety or cleanliness of your maternal colostrum or if you know it is transmitting disease, discard and completely replace it with SCCL colostrum.

Is my calf stressed and requiring greater nourishment?

Pulled or c-section delivered calves have a greater challenge absorbing antibodies.
Heat- or cold-stressed calves also need colostrum quickly to replenish their energy reserves.
Calves born from first calf heifers are at higher risk for not receiving enough good quality colostrum.
Rescue your stressed calves by feeding them a full replacement of SCCL colostrum.

On the first day of a calf’s life, it is essential to quickly deliver them enough high-quality, clean colostrum. This first meal provides them antibodies to defend against a variety of health challenges your calf will face. To ensure a successful first meal, you can use this checklist to determine if your maternal colostrum is beneficial to feed to your newborn calf, or if it should be improved with SCCL colostrum.

Day 2-14: Transition

Whole colostrum naturally offers a combination of bioactive factors that support and develop the multiple layers of the small intestine, which is still developing throughout the first two weeks of a calf’s life. Other products such as probiotics, prebiotics or other additives do not have this same beneficial effect, as they do not support all developing layers of the small intestine.

Naturally, cows continue producing smaller amounts of colostrum after a calf is born, so this application mimics that transition milk by adding colostrum powder to the calf’s whole milk or milk replacer diet for the first two weeks of life.

To learn more about how to mimic transition milk for your dairy calves, download the transition guide.

When Stressed: Restore

Research shows colostrum can be fed after the first week of life to rebuild gut health and restore healthy stool during times of stress. Supporting and soothing the intestinal tract with colostrum helps get calves back on track quickly and eliminates the harsh effects that other unnatural products or treatment methods can have on a calf’s gut microbiome. Colostrum’s ample supply of nutrients, hormones, growth factors, vitamins, and minerals provide several therapeutic benefits for calves.

To learn more about using colostrum to restore gut health, download the restore guide.

What Our Customers Are Saying

“We absolutely love the colostrum! It mixes very well since it is so fine with the milk replacer and holds suspension even in a bottle. The calves dive into their milk, they don’t even notice it’s is there. We are treating less calves, but if we do treat a calf it responds to the medications faster . We typically do not have to retreat either. They take to calf starter faster, eat more, so increasing their rate of gain. Our weaned bull calves weigh more and look more muscled than before. Our vet bills have also gone down due to less antibiotics and farm calls. We have the lowest calf mortality we have ever had. It is definitely an investment, but the calf health is worth it! Adding in the SCCL colostrum was one of the best decisions we have made for our calf program!”

Jopp Century Farm

Minnesota, USA

“Successful use of colostrum for our clients. Trust that they are getting the right start for their stressed calves. Education on colostrum as the studies show. “

Minot Veterinary Clinic

North Dakota, USA

“Clients are liking this product. Have saved calves and assure them that they are getting enough colostrum. They are using this product every year. Excellent product.”

Sandcreek Animal Clinic

South Dakota, USA

“Wonderful, we have a customer that gives a bag of SCCL colostrum to each first calf heifer (2 year old) to help with scours and they seem to have a better jump start.”

Cowtown Ag

Montana, USA

“Our producers are more confident that they are doing what is needed for their calves. They are better prepared prior to calving and are seeing the results of having quality colostrum on hand or available when needed.”

Lester Prairie Vet Clinic

Minnesota, USA

“I have sold and used thousands of packages of SCCL colostrum replacer. Reasons I continue to use exclusive SCCL products: 1. They all mix very easily and the volumes are manageable. 2. In most circumstances the calves will drink the product out of a bottle (taste must be decent). 3. The products plain and simply fricken work, period. I have saved hundreds of my own calves and my clients have saved thousands with these products. 4. All products are milk/colostrum based and come from cows tested free from Johnes disease.”

Beefdoc LLC

Minnesota, USA

“Mixablility is great! Seems to have extra product in bag. Calves get up and go quick. Confident they’re getting the right amount of IgG with thi product. “

Britton Vet

South Dakota, USA

Dairy Resources

We’ve created a varity of tools to help you learn more about colostrum, calves and SCCL. Our goal is to equip you with the the best resources to feel confident when feeding colostrum and making decisions in raising your calves.

The Colostrum Counsel

Expert advice for colostrum management practices

Beyond Colostrum Podcast

The perfect platform for learning more about calf management when you just want to listen in

Mixing & feeding tips

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Video Library

Baby animals. Need we say more?!

Learning center includes:
The Colostrum Counsel, SCCL Collaborative Published Studies, Mixing and Feeding Tips, FAQ, Beyond Colostrum Podcasts, Video Library and more about Headstart Dairy.

SCCL Disclaimer for Continuing Education Courses & Related Content

Colostrum for Dairy Calves

Colostrum for Dairy Calves

Solutions that are simple and effective

Defend

Transition

Restore

Day 1: Defend

Day 2-14: Transition

When Stressed: Restore

What Our Customers Are Saying

Dairy Resources

The Colostrum Counsel

Subscribe

Beyond Colostrum Podcast

Mixing & feeding tips

Video Library

Our Products

Find whole colostrum products that are best suited for your newborns.

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Cooling the calf: Colostrum and transition milk solutions for heat stress

Colostrum for
Dairy Calves

Colostrum for
Dairy Calves