Calves and chickens....any problem?

[dyates]

we do i would say 98% of the after birth. Toss it over the fence for the mag pies and the dogs treats.
Even if we have to take a pitch fork and grab hold of and end of it and pull it out of the cows mouth.

I've always heard that the afterbirth was a valuable source of nutrients to boost colostrum. Is that not correct?

 

[TexasBred]

Actually there has been a little research into cows eating afterbirth with no real conclusion. Most believe it's done out of instinct as most mammals do eat their afterbirth but there is not much nutritional value to it and hopefully she has not gone without feed long enough to be that hungry.

 

[rockridgecattle]

we do i would say 98% of the after birth. Toss it over the fence for the mag pies and the dogs treats.
Even if we have to take a pitch fork and grab hold of and end of it and pull it out of the cows mouth.

I've always heard that the afterbirth was a valuable source of nutrients to boost colostrum. Is that not correct?

The colostrum takes several weeks to build properly. Good hay, mineral, salt, body conditioning antibodies produced from vaccinations and disease exposure is what builds colostrum. If they need anything to build it once the calf is out, they are in trouble considering a calf should have it's first suck in the first two hours and some don't clean for several hours after birth.
First milk is first milk. Nothing will change it once the calf is born

 

[msscamp]

we do i would say 98% of the after birth. Toss it over the fence for the mag pies and the dogs treats.
Even if we have to take a pitch fork and grab hold of and end of it and pull it out of the cows mouth.

I've always heard that the afterbirth was a valuable source of nutrients to boost colostrum. Is that not correct?

No. Colostrum is produced prior to giving birth. According to what I've read, cows (and a lot of other species, as well) eat their afterbirth to reduce the chances of attracting predators to their newborn.