The Colostrum Counsel

When it comes to feeding colostrum, there are two methods producers can use: esophageal tube feeder or nipple bottle. Time, equipment and personal preference influence the decision to use one of these two methods. This month’s Colostrum Counsel [...]

Use of antibiotics in agriculture is an added cost to the producer and growing concern to consumers. Feeding a colostrum replacer product may reduce the need for antibiotic treatments in pre-weaned calves. The increased concern of modern [...]

When it comes to on-farm calf management, the producer’s main goal is to have healthy, productive calves that will eventually become high-producing cows. To achieve this goal, certain techniques should be used on farm to ensure the calf can reach [...]

Did you know other factors beyond IgG can attribute to a healthy gut in your calves? Oligosaccharides in colostrum and transition milk serve as potential mediators of a healthy calf gut. In this issue of The Colostrum Counsel, we will explain just [...]

How much is failure of passive transfer costing your operation? An economic model estimates the value of lost opportunity that could be capitalized on if colostrum feeding practices are improved. Influence of good colostrum feeding practices and [...]

The single, most important meal a calf will consume in its lifetime is the first feeding of colostrum. Knowing when and how to intervene are the first steps for ensuring a productive calf. What are the impacts of good colostrum feeding practices [...]

An often overlooked contribution of colostrum and good colostrum management practices is the role of colostrum in ensuring biosecurity and preventing disease transmission from dam and the environment to the newborn calf. Practices around parturition [...]

Effective colostrum management practices include the timely feeding of adequate volumes of clean colostrum with a broad spectrum of protective antibodies. This goal can be achieved by the careful selection, pooling and heat treatment of maternal [...]

To ensure proper immunity, energy and overall health, it is important to feed the correct amount of good quality colostrum to calves. However, it can be challenging to understand the proper treatment for each size of calf, especially smaller calves, [...]

In pre-weaned dairy calves, inclusion of a colostrum replacer powder to the milk replacer for 14 days showed positive results in reducing incidence of diarrhea, respiratory disease, depression and umbilical disease. Use of antibiotics was [...]

Welfare of food animals is a rapidly growing factor in consumer selection of their meat and dairy products. Deficient colostrum feeding practices can lead to significant suffering of the young calf. Adequate colostrum feeding will not only ensure [...]