February 22, 2001

Got Milk? Getting Enough into Newborn Calves is Essential

Sire selection, breeding management, nutrition and addressing health concerns all factor into a healthy and profitable calf crop. But all that investment and planning could be for nothing if newborn calves aren’t getting enough good quality colostrum in the first 12 hours of life, according to Greg Lardy, beef specialist with the North Dakota State University Extension Service.

"Especially with cold weather, getting calves off to a good start is absolutely critical," Lardy says. "The most important factor in that good start is getting enough colostrum into them soon enough."

Colostrum is a cow’s first milk after calving and contains antibodies or immunoglobulins necessary to give the calf protection from disease. In order for colostrum to be most effective, the calf should receive 2 to 3 quarts within 12 hours of birth, Lardy notes. After this time the calf’s digestive system begins to adapt to life outside the womb and it becomes more difficult for the calf to absorb the antibodies found in the colostrum. When a calf is six hours old, it is able to absorb 66 percent of the immunoglobulins in colostrum, but by the time it is 36 hours old it is only able to absorb 7 percent.

Colostrum contains 22 percent solids compared to 12 percent solids in normal whole cow’s milk. Much of the extra solid material in colostrum is immunoglobulin, but colostrum is also an important source of casein, fat, and vitamins A and E, Lardy explains.

The amount of colostrum produced by a cow is affected by breed type (dairy breeds produce more than beef breeds) and cow age (heifers produce less than mature cows). Cows on low energy diets also produce less colostrum than cows with adequate nutrition.

"The diet of the cow is very important to colostrum production," Lardy says. "For those of you whose herds are not calving yet, there is still time to prepare cows and heifers nutritionally for the demands of calving and lactation." Proper nutrition helps ensure a live, healthy calf and adequate colostrum production. Cows in poor body condition produce less colostrum and are more apt to have weak calves that take longer to nurse and have weaker immune responses.

Proper cow nutrition now also plays a role in the success of next year’s calving season, Lardy says. Spring calving cows should be in body condition score five or higher at calving to ensure that the calving interval will be 365 days or less. Research trials have confirmed the importance of managing body condition score to maintain reproductive efficiency.

Lardy advises producers to pay extra attention to cows and calves that had difficulty at calving. In one study, calves born in difficult births took longer to stand and had lower concentrations of serum immunoglobulins following nursing.

Lardy notes that some cows may not produce enough colostrum while others may produce a surplus. "It’s a good idea to use colostrum from one cow to feed another’s calf or to store some colostrum for later use."

For best results, collect colostrum from cows within 24 hours of calving and feed it fresh. Collected colostrum can be collected at calving, stored frozen, and used at a later date.

Consider storing colostrum in zip-lock bags, Lardy suggests. The bags will store flat in the freezer and you can use a size that makes thawing individual one- or two-quart "servings" of colostrum easier.

Because the antibodies and immunoglobulins in colostrum are protein, careful thawing will prevent the colostrum from being damaged. Thaw the colostrum slowly by one of these two methods:

• Thaw colostrum in warm water (110EF). Place frozen colostrum and its container in warm water and stir every five minutes. The colostrum should be warmed to 104EF.
• Thaw the colostrum in a microwave oven. Set the oven at no more than 60 percent power for a gentle thawing. Agitate or stir the colostrum frequently to assure even thawing and warming. This is important since many microwaves do not heat material evenly. Warm the colostrum to 104EF.

How Much Colostrum Does a Calf Need?

"As a general rule of thumb, a calf should receive 5 to 6 percent of the its body weight as colostrum within the first six hours of life. That same amount should be fed again when the calf is about 12 hours old. For an 80-pound calf, this equates to approximately 2 quarts of colostrum per feeding," Lardy explains.

There are a number of commercial colostrum substitute products available. Research indicates that calves are better off receiving these products than no colostrum at all, but they do not give the level of protection found in frozen, stored colostrum, Lardy notes.

Johne’s disease can be spread through infected colostrum. "If you are using dairy colostrum be sure the herd from which you get it is free of Johne’s disease," he says.

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Source: Greg Lardy, (701) 231-7660, glardy@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu