New calves need colostrum and clean environment

By Bethany Lovaas, University of Minnesota Extension

ST. PAUL, Minn. (3/17/2008) —Colostrum—the cow’s first milk—is the key to a good start for the newborn calf. It supplies energy for combating the early spring chill that assaults the new calf. Colostrum also provides the only immune system protection for at least the first two weeks of the calf’s life.

Mother Nature usually takes care of things. But one of the easiest quality control measures is simply observing: Is the calf nursing, getting anything out of the cow’s udder? Is the calf filling its belly, or does it appear hungry? Does it appear listless or depressed?

If there’s any doubt, it’s often better to follow the “better safe than sorry” adage. If you aren’t sure whether the calf has nursed or is getting enough colostrum, you can either 1) milk out the cow and tube or bottle feed the calf (if the cow will cooperate), or 2) thaw out some of the colostrum that you have frozen from another cow in your herd, and tube or bottle feed the calf.

Vaccinating cows for colostral immunity is an option for increasing the quality of colostrum. This is often applied to first-calf heifers that may not have high quality colostrum as they enter their first lactation. Be sure to check with your veterinarian regarding products and timing.

The environment that calves are born into is one of the most important factors. If the environment is dirty, wet or there’s a high pathogen burden, even the best colostrum might not be able to protect calves from the upcoming pathogenic onslaught. On the other hand, calves that have partial and sometimes complete failure of passive transfer have potential to survive, and in rare cases, thrive in a clean, dry environment.

Remember that the cow’s body and udder are components of the environment. If a cow’s udder is dirty and she is placed in a brand new barn, on a new concrete slab with two feet of fresh straw bedding, the environment is still highly contaminated. The udder is the first and most important destination for the calf, and if it’s sucking on manure in its attempt to find the teat, it’s already behind in the battle for survival.

Any use of this article must include the byline or following credit line:
Bethany Lovaas is a veterinarian and a member of the University of Minnesota Beef Research and Education team.

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URL: http:// www.extension.umn.edu/extensionnews/2008/colostrum.html  This page was updated Mar. 17, 2008 .
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