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February 22, 2006 Handling, Storing Colostrum Important for Cattle Producers Cattle producers should provide additional colostrum if calves don’t get enough from their mothers, a North Dakota State University cattle expert says. Some cows don't produce an adequate amount of colostrum, which contains antibodies and immunoglobulins necessary to protect the calf from disease until its own immune system is totally functional. That means producers may need to provide calves with colostrum from other cows or a supply they have on hand. For optimum results, producers should collect colostrum from cows within 24 hours of calving and feed it while it is fresh, says NDSU Extension Service beef cattle specialist Greg Lardy. Producers also can collect colostrum at calving and store it frozen. Lardy suggests producers store colostrum in zipper-top resealable plastic bags or plastic containers with lids that fit tightly. The bags or containers will store flat in the freezer and are available in sizes (1 or 2 quarts) that can hold individual "servings" of colostrum. Colostrum should not be thawed and refrozen. The antibodies and immunoglobulins in colostrum are protein, so thawing colostrum correctly is important to prevent it from being damaged. Colostrum should be thawed slowly, either in a microwave or warm water. Here are two methods Lardy suggests: 1) Place frozen colostrum and its container in warm water (110 F) and stir every five minutes. The colostrum should be warmed to 104 to 110 F. 2) Thaw colostrum in a microwave oven. Set the oven at no more than 60 percent power for 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 104 F. Lardy says the general rule of thumb is a calf should receive colostrum equal to 5 percent to 6 percent of its body weight within the first six hours of life. Calves should receive the same amount when they are about 12 hours old. Colostrum weighs approximately 8 pounds per gallon. For an 80-pound calf, this equates to approximately 2 quarts (4 pounds) of colostrum per feeding. Lardy also recommends producers make sure the cows from which they obtain colostrum are free of Johne's disease, or Myobacterium paratuberculosis. Johne's disease can spread to herds through infected colostrum. ### Source: Greg
Lardy, (701) 231-7660, glardy@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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