Colostrum Supplements

[Amo]

This is something I know very little about. Ive been using product X for a while. Its gotten the job done. Don't mix up the best, but if I use a wisk in a bucket it gets 95% of it mixed up pretty good. Soposedly this other stuff mixes like a dream and it has 150 grams of globulin protein vs 55 in the other. The cheaper product is made from Bovine serum, while the other is made from dried bovine colostrum. Ill put the annalysis on here also, but the new product is $24.95 a bag for 1.1 lbs vs $10.50 for 1#. Ive never had a real problem with the cheaper product. I bought a couple of bags of the new stuff to try. Factory rep said you could feed half of the more expensive product and get what you need. Kinda wonder if thats a sales pitch. Guess IDK what exactly is "globulin protein" or what exactly it does. Im guessing if you had a super stressful birth the stuff with A, D, E would maybe help. What Im wondering is the new stuff worth the extra $?

Old New
Bovine Globulin protein, min. 55grams Crude protein min 46%
Crude Protein, min 50% Crude Fat 20%
Crude Fat 1% Crude Fiber max .1%
Crude Fiber max .5% Calcium, min/max .65%-.9%
Bovine Albumin, min 19% Phos, min .55%
Vitamine A 30K
" D3 5K
" E 150
Globulin protein, min 30%
(150 grams per 500 g)

[Amo]

I found their feed tag (kinda) on line. Ill see if I can post a link.

http://www.hubbardfeeds.com/dairy/ProdInfo/optiprime.aspx?menu=Calf%20%26%20Heifer&item=Calf%20%26%20Heifer%20Health%20%26%20Performance%20Products

[cowwrangler]

i tried some new stuff the vet handles also,it was 31.50 a bag,dont know if it has worked better

[milkmaid]

"Globulin" = immunoglobulin... essentially part of the immune system responsible for recognizing pathogens, and specific to certain pathogens. For instance, you vaccinate the cow for Rotavirus a couple weeks prior to calving, she makes extra immunoglobulin to Rotavirus and that ends up in colostrum. The calf drinks colostrum, immunoglobulins (Ig) are absorbed through the intestine, and the calf is protected for several weeks against Rotavirus. Ig is made of protein, so your cows need an adequate level of protein in their diet the last few weeks/months prior to calving to produce high quality colostrum.

How much is in the old bag? ie new bag as 150g Ig per 500g bag, does the old bag have 55g Ig per 500g bag? Make sure you're comparing apples to apples.

"Colostrum supplement" means it's given in addition to the dam's colostrum. Maybe you think the calf needs a little extra colostrum since his dam doesn't have much milk or is uncooperative; you supplement him. "Colostrum replacer" is what OptiPrime is; it's designed to be given in place of the maternal colostrum. You have an orphan calf, cow died, cow has no milk, calf is a twin, etc. That's what OptiPrime is for (or use half the bag for supplemental purposes).

A calf needs 100g IgG at birth - your job is to figure out how to make that happen.

Re the link:

OptiPrime is guaranteed free of all major colostrum transmissible diseases including Johne’s.

Unless the old colostrum supplement has the same statement, that by itself would make me use OptiPrime. You really don't want to take the chance of Johnes in your herd.

[bigbull338]

we bought some powdered colostrum the other day,an it cost almost $11 for a single feeding bag.but we didnt use it because we got the cow in the chute an milked her down,an fed her calf.

[Lucky_P]

milkmaid,
Some of the recent stuff I've seen presented indicates that colostral antibody levels are pretty well set at 5 weeks prior to parturition - so, if someone's vaccinating the cowherd for the purposes of maximizing antibodies in colostrum (and post-calving, in the milk), they need to give those vaccinations at least 7-10 weeks prior to calving.

[milkmaid]

That may be Lucky... I know that the scours prevention vaccines are to be boostered 3-10 weeks prior to calving (ie http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_product_gro ... 1A5B17C527) but I also realize that vaccine companies and their recommendations aren't perfect. I'd just figured since the udder bags up in the last couple days to a week prior to calving, most of the IgG that ends up in colostrum moves within that time frame, so you'd just need your secondary immune response to peak prior to that point? Would sure be interested in reading the recent stuff you mention though, if you have a link handy.

[Amo]

Big bull 338 I agree with ya. Im just not a milker I guess. When I have to milk all 4 my feet go to sleep and I keep having to switch hands to keep from crampin. Plus I usually get slightly to majorly kicked. Then if I have a bunch of other stuff to do, I just got in the habbit of if it wasn't going to suck for a while I give it a bag and let it recoupe from the stress.

Yes milk maid, the other bag only has 55 instead of 150. Thought I mentioned that, thus asking what Img was because the opti prime had a lot more in it. I know a bit about Johnes. It doesn't show that on the bag I got. Never looked close at the link that I put up. Just seen the % of ingredents was just like what I had and went with it.

Had a set of twins today. So I broke open a bag of optiprime. It did mix nice Ill say that. Ive always used the stuff with the 55 Igm and have had very good success with it. Either "helping" or like I say to a twin. I was hoping someone would chime in on my thoughts (and the district feed reps) about using just 1/2 a bag. 1/2 of 150 is 75 vs. 55 in the other stuff. Plus A, D, & E...of course if I give half, yes I know they will get less than on the label. Thing is the Agrilabs stuff doesn't list any so 1/2 of optiprime would still give more. Plus it would make the cost more in line with the rest of the products.

[bigbull338]

we dont mind hand milking some.she stood in the chute eating feed.if she was bad we could always back the chute in an squeeze her an milk her out.we also used a needle to draion the milk out of a teat or 2.the cow will fight you while your feeding her calf so the 4 wheeler stays between her an whoever is feeding the calf.

[Amo]

Ive tried the needle thing. IDK never seams to work very well for me. The needle was kinda sharp so I switched to the plastic things you put on the end of a syrenge to give nasal shots...more of a rounded tip that way. Usually do that to give some pennacelin if I have a bag problem. Never have had it drain out though. Don't you still have to squeeze?

Ive done a fair share of milking in my short time (not as much as a lot of people I know) and I can do it. Like I said between cramps, feet, hoping not to get kicked or trying to keep the milk from getting spilled....guess Im kinda lazy...LOL.