Most colostrum research focuses on dairy, but beef calves face a different set of management realities, less controlled feeding, more reliance on natural nursing. This study looked at how colostrum volume, IgG concentration, and feeding method affect both nursing behavior and passive immunity specifically in beef calves. For producers managing beef herds where hands-on feeding isn't always practical, this speaks directly to your management context instead of extrapolating from dairy data.
"Impact of volume, immunoglobulin G concentration, and feeding method of colostrum product on neonatal nursing behavior and transfer of passive immunity in beef calves" — L. Gamsjäger, D.M. Haines, E.A. Pajor, M. Lévy, M.C. Windeyer. Animal. 2021;15(9):100345.