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P U L L - O U T G U I D E
Guide to
Colostrum
Management
Colostrum supplies essential nutrients and antibodies and as new born calves have no protective antibodies to
resist disease challenges it is essential that these are absorbed via colostrum. If you miss out any of the following
4Q's to colostrum management then you should not be surprised to see poor health, low growth rates and high
mortality in calves.
FarmSkills
Mill Farm, Studley Road, Ripon,
Yorkshire HG4 2QR
T:
(01765) 645893
E:
farmskills@xlvets.co.uk
www.farm-skills.co.uk
Workshops on cell count and milk quality control are available
all year round. We also cover milking routines and parlour
hygiene as well as milking technologies and robotic milking.
Adopting the critical 4Q's
Q3.
QUICKLY
Ideally, colostrum should be fed as soon as possible
after birth, and at the latest within six hours.
At birth the calf's gut is permeable which means it can
absorb the large antibody molecules directly into its
bloodstream. Over the first 24 hours the gut rapidly 'closes'
and these molecules can no longer be absorbed, so it is
essential that the calf absorbs sufficient antibodies as soon
as possible, after birth. Continue feeding colostrum for at
least the first three days of life if possible, as this has
been shown to have other benefits encouraging early
gut development and laying a solid foundation for fast,
efficient future growth.
Q1.
QUALITY
Colostrum quality can vary enormously between animals,
so only feed good quality colostrum, tested using a
colostrometer.
Quality can be poor for many reasons:
l
Age of cow
- colostrum from cows in their first
lactation usually contains fewer antibodies as they
have yet to be exposed to a wide range
of pathogens
l
Breed of cow
- Holstein colostrum typically contains
lower antibody levels than that from Jersey cows
l
Short dry periods
of less than three weeks
l
High yielding cows
- those producing more than
eight litres at first milking with poor transition diets
l
Poor hygiene
- high levels of bacteria in colostrum
have been shown to reduce the uptake of antibodies
by the calf
Good quality colostrum should be frozen ready for
future use, e.g. when a dam's colostrum is of poor quality
or unsuitable for use. Alternatively a commercial colostrum
alternative can be used but make sure it has been
independently tested and check the nutrient density.
Q2
.
QUANTITY
Feed a minimum of three litres in the first six
hours, split into two feeds if necessary.
Remember, a calf requires approximately 20 minutes
of continuous sucking to consume three litres of milk
from the cow.
Q4
.
QUIETLY
If calves are stressed while being fed colostrum, then they
won't absorb the antibodies as efficiently as those that are
calm. This means a stressed calf will require more colostrum
in order to achieve the same level of immunity.
The Colostrometer
The Colostrometer is an easy to use piece of kit, calibrated
to colostrum density, that rapidly tells you whether maternal
colostrum is of good quality.
Simply place the colostrometer into the provided cylinder
and wait to see where it floats to.
l
If in the green area then the colostrum is of good
quality and can be fed or frozen.
l
If in the amber area then the colostrum is of average
quality and you should consider supplementing to
ensure the calf receives enough protective antibodies.
l
If in the red area then the colostrum is of poor quality
and should not be fed or frozen.
To ensure accurate results always test colostrum
at a temperature of around 22°C.