Colostrum in calves helps avoid scours
By Shirley Macmillanand Chrissie Lawrence
WITH RECENT variable weather, vets across the country are reporting increases in calf scours and other related calf health problems. But good management at birth can help prevent these problems.
As dairy herd sizes increase and labour remains the same or even reduces, calf management often gets neglected, reckons Norfolk-based calf rearer and finisher Roger Long. “As a result of the recent cold spell, many calves in the market are looking poor and are failing to sell.”
Mr Long reckons dairy producers should let calves suckle for as long as possible. “Colostrum can”t go in the tank, so why cut back on what the calf can take?” And once-a-day feeding is not enough for a one-day-old calf, he adds.
Whether calves are fed whole or powdered milk, Mr Long says milk should be fed at the same time, temperature and quantity, to minimise stress and health problems.
Blade Farming”s Gavin Isles says rearers can soon pick out calves which have not received adequate colostrum. “Rearers have had problems with Friesian calves from producers who feel, at 25/head, calves are worth little so why give them extra attention.” However, improving management can soon see calf values increase.
Good colostrum management is worth 106/hour in producing more live calves that are bigger, healthier and eventually yield more milk as adults, according to US vet Sam Leadley.
The key is to ensure dams eat enough 10 days before calving. “This is when she produces colostrum, so feeding a pre-calving ration will encourage adequate intakes. Vaccinating against diseases on farm also stimulates production of colostrol antibodies,” says Dr Leadley.
Colostrum should be collected clean and kept that way. This means clean teats in the parlour, clean milking equipment and clean containers, he says. “Feed it immediately, or chill until required as bacteria numbers double every 20 minutes at cow body temperature.”
Clean colostrum can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for a year. But once warmed, it should be fed in less than half an hour. “Every half hour delay in colostrum feeding cuts a calf”s chances of being healthy by 5%,” he warns.
Dr Leadley also suggests periodically sampling colostrum to determine its bacteria content and checking its antibody concentration, using a colostrometer. “Only two-thirds of cows and one-third of heifers have adequate antibody concentration. High yielding cows have lower antibody concentrations.”
Using such a device helped herd manager Walter Hwata discover that colostrum from second milking from the 650 Jerseys he manages in Herefordshire, was of lower quality.
“We take colostrum from older cows that have been vaccinated for rotavirus, cryptosporidium and coronavirus. As first milking is better quality, we only use this as the first feed for calves,” he says.
Colostrum is stored in two-litre tubs and frozen so every calf can be fed, as each vaccinated cow only supplies enough for 4-6 calves. Second milking colostrum is pasteurised. “It might denature some of the protein, but it kills the bugs, particularly Johne”s,” adds Mr Hwata.