Colostrum Replacer VS Supplement?

[mossy_oak23]

I'm trying to understand the difference. Please help me out! As far as I understand you would use a replacer if the dam refused to let the calf nurse and needed a complete substance to take place of the maternal colostrum where as a supplement is something you can provide to the calf along with the maternal colostrum just as an added boost?

I see posts on here of people saying they used to use colostrx and now they use colostrx plus which are both supplements but they are stating they use them in place of the mothers colostrum?

 

[Frankie]

I'm trying to understand the difference. Please help me out! As far as I understand you would use a replacer if the dam refused to let the calf nurse and needed a complete substance to take place of the maternal colostrum where as a supplement is something you can provide to the calf along with the maternal colostrum just as an added boost?

I see posts on here of people saying they used to use colostrx and now they use colostrx plus which are both supplements but they are stating they use them in place of the mothers colostrum?

I'm sure you'll find different opinions here, but I don't see why you'd give anything if the calf gets up and nurses the cow. We don't.

 

[backhoeboogie]

If one of my calves nurses its mom, that's all the colostrums it gets.

There is 3 gallons of frozen colostrums in the freezer. Came from my milk cow. If I lose a cow and save a calf, that's what the calf is going to get. Probably two half gallon feedings. It will be thawed in hot water. Putting it in the microwave aint a good thing.

The calf will likely be bottle fed for three days on frozen milk from the same cow to get her scent in him/her, then grafted onto her.

 

[angie1]

I'm sure you'll find different opinions here, but I don't see why you'd give anything if the calf gets up and nurses the cow. We don't.

Right.

And I think the rest of what you are confused about is just semantics. Replacer/supplement. The company calls it a supplement because they want you to feed it to EVERY calf (just in case, scare tactics if you ask me). I have used it to replace colostrum that the calf did not get (for example an abandoned twin). I have also used frozen colostrum, but it is harder for me to come by, and the powdered stuff is very good/complete.

 

[dun]

I'm sure you'll find different opinions here, but I don't see why you'd give anything if the calf gets up and nurses the cow. We don't.

Right.

And I think the rest of what you are confused about is just semantics. Replacer/supplement. The company calls it a supplement because they want you to feed it to EVERY calf (just in case, scare tactics if you ask me). I have used it to replace colostrum that the calf did not get (for example an abandoned twin). I have also used frozen colostrum, but it is harder for me to come by, and the powdered stuff is very good/complete.

Wrong oh sensitive one. From Penn State extension:
Supplement or Replacer - What's the Difference?
Colostrum products that contain IgG are regulated by the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics. Supplement products are unable to raise the blood concentration of IgG above the species standard, which is 10 mg/ml. Any product that is able to raise serum IgG concentration above 10 mg/ml may be called a colostrum replacer.

Typically, colostrum supplements contain less than 100 g of IgG per dose and are composed of bovine colostrum, other milk products, or bovine serum. Colostrum supplements can be used to increase the amount of IgG fed to calves when only low or medium quality colostrum is available. However, supplements cannot replace high quality colostrum. Even when a supplement is added to low quality colostrum, the IgG is often absorbed poorly, and antibody absorption is reduced compared to high quality maternal colostrum.

A limited number of products designed to replace colostrum are now on the market. These are bovine serum-based products and contain at least 100 g of IgG per liter plus fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals needed by the newborn calf. Colostrum replacer contains more immunoglobulin than supplement products and provides more antibodies than poor or moderate quality colostrum. In research trials, calves fed colostrum replacer have performed as well as calves fed maternal colostrum with no differences in IgG levels, efficiency of IgG absorption, incidence of scours, or growth rates.

Link to complete article: http://www.extension.org/pages/Colostru ... ference.3F

 

[angie1]

And I think the rest of what you are confused about is just semantics. Replacer/supplement. The company calls it a supplement because they want you to feed it to EVERY calf (just in case, scare tactics if you ask me). I have used it to replace colostrum that the calf did not get (for example an abandoned twin). I have also used frozen colostrum, but it is harder for me to come by, and the powdered stuff is very good/complete.

Wrong oh sensitive one.
Whatever, I said I was "sensitive to the feelings of others" ~ not that I was sensitive. For Petes Sake, I put up with your sass for the past 3 years, I have to have nerves of steel for such a thing as that. :drink:


blah blah blah blah

Good information on the supplement/replacer thing. I will have to pay better attention.

 

[mossy_oak23]

I'm sure you'll find different opinions here, but I don't see why you'd give anything if the calf gets up and nurses the cow. We don't.

Right.

And I think the rest of what you are confused about is just semantics. Replacer/supplement. The company calls it a supplement because they want you to feed it to EVERY calf (just in case, scare tactics if you ask me). I have used it to replace colostrum that the calf did not get (for example an abandoned twin). I have also used frozen colostrum, but it is harder for me to come by, and the powdered stuff is very good/complete.

Wrong oh sensitive one. From Penn State extension:
Supplement or Replacer - What's the Difference?
Colostrum products that contain IgG are regulated by the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics. Supplement products are unable to raise the blood concentration of IgG above the species standard, which is 10 mg/ml. Any product that is able to raise serum IgG concentration above 10 mg/ml may be called a colostrum replacer.

Typically, colostrum supplements contain less than 100 g of IgG per dose and are composed of bovine colostrum, other milk products, or bovine serum. Colostrum supplements can be used to increase the amount of IgG fed to calves when only low or medium quality colostrum is available. However, supplements cannot replace high quality colostrum. Even when a supplement is added to low quality colostrum, the IgG is often absorbed poorly, and antibody absorption is reduced compared to high quality maternal colostrum.

A limited number of products designed to replace colostrum are now on the market. These are bovine serum-based products and contain at least 100 g of IgG per liter plus fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals needed by the newborn calf. Colostrum replacer contains more immunoglobulin than supplement products and provides more antibodies than poor or moderate quality colostrum. In research trials, calves fed colostrum replacer have performed as well as calves fed maternal colostrum with no differences in IgG levels, efficiency of IgG absorption, incidence of scours, or growth rates.

Link to complete article: http://www.extension.org/pages/Colostru ... ference.3F

Thanks! That clears up that mystery

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Thanks Dun - I was just going to look that article up - I had it in one of my newsletters.
I didn't reread the article so I don't remember if it mentions - there's about a $20 difference between the two types of products.