Colostrum

[cs106]

I was reading a topic on another forum that got me thinking. Some people use colostrum from dairy operations for their calves if they need it. Some of the people on the forum were saying not to use it because of the increased risk of Johne's and other disease. What's your take on it? We've only use packaged colostrum.

 

[dun]

It is a cencern. We only get colostrum from one dairy that has an extensive health program and hasn;t rought in any new cows/heifers for 10 years or so. Them I feel comfortable with. The other dairys around here I wouldn;t use the stuff no matter what

 

[hillsdown]

We never stored colostrum from animals under 7-8 years old when we dairied that way we were pretty much ensured it was johne's free colostrum, also we volunteered for a government testing study and our herd was negative. Most dairies around here due the same still (save only from the older cows). If you buy colostrum just ask the ages of the animals from the colostrum has been collected and if they have had any johne's cases. They make really good powdered colostrum now that has been tested and is guaranteed to be johne's free, that is what I use when I need to now.

 

[Jake]

The best bet is if you get the chance to save some off of one of your own cows. The antibodies in the colostrum will match the strains of the diseases on your farm better than anything else you can get. This is my preferred source but the powdered mixes they have now are pretty good when the time comes.

 

[plumber_greg]

I'd like to take this one step further. I have had calves that never got any colostrum and don't know that I have ever lost any because of this. What happens to calves that lack colostrum? I know, and believe, that it is important for them to get it, but what are the symptions of a calf that didn't get it? Also, how long in a cow is the clostrum any good and does a good vaccination program help? gs

 

[TexasBred]

greg, calves are basically born with no immunity to anything.......and none is obtained via placental transfer.... however, they do obtain immunity to the same things there mother is immune to from drinking colostrum she has produced. I've had a couple I guess live over the ages but they never turn out to be worth a nickel.

 

[novatech]

greg, calves are basically born with no immunity to anything.......and none is obtained via placental transfer.... however, they do obtain immunity to the same things there mother is immune to from drinking colostrum she has produced. I've had a couple I guess live over the ages but they never turn out to be worth a nickel.

I have had a couple were I wished that I had let nature take it's course. But then I have had some good ones. Now, unless I think it has the breeding for something worth saving, I just tell a few people I'm going to knock in the head and they rush in to save it.
I have never come out on powdered milk. A nurse cow is a different story.
As far as the colostrum goes the store bought stuff has always done a good job for me. I would not ever bring in strange colostrum unless I new the herd was clean.
Also I have always used the "probios". Well I think that is what it is called.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I have a nurse cow. After her calf has nursed twice, she is milked down some to get a gallon. She is not completely stripped out. It is pinkish yellow. This gallon is broken up into quart jugs and goes into the freezer. The next milking has a bit of a tint and the same thing happens with it.

When I have to use it, it is thawed out in a tub of hot water. You do not want to microwave it. A calf gets a quart or more of the first, then the second milking at the next feeding. Then the calf gets her natural milk for three days to get her scent. She accepts the calf.

If I have to do a cold graft I get a quart of her milk, put it in a bucket and sponge it onto the calf. Cover the calf all over. She usually takes it. Once she didn't. Now that I have a nursing crate, I can crate her and crowd the calf in with a medina gate. This is better in cold weather.

If I did not have natural in the freezer, I'd absolutely use the powdered.

 

[Lucky_P]

If I have a cow that loses a calf, I milk her out twice and freeze back the colostrum. Or, if I have one with one or more big ugly teats that the calf can't nurse, I'll milk them out and freeze back whatever I think her calf doesn't need right then.

Second choice, for me, is the powdered colostrum product.

Johne's Disease and Bovine Leukosis Virus infection are so widespread in the dairy herds that fresh or frozen dairy colostrum are a last-ditch alternative, and I'd not be inclined to keep a heifer if she'd gotten dairy colostrum.

I've raised hundreds of dairy calves on the bottle, but I'm with novatech - almost never had a beef calf that turned out to be anything other than an undersized potbellied piece of crap - rarely worth the expense of milk replacer/calf grower or the extra time they took to feed out. Have had two in the last year that were born to cows with bad udders(3 blind teats, etc.) that I successfully grafted onto cows that had lost calves - one had salmonellosis, the other, the coyotes got - so the foster dams got a reprieve, and the bad-bag cows went to town.

 

[rockridgecattle]

Check out the powder colostrum you buy from a store. Some colostrum packages are made from blood serum, and thus are cheaper. Some are made from dried colostrum from first milking cows. Read the label and make sure you have dried colostrum and not other products in the package. As well read the label and check on the immunglobulins (sp). The cheap products have far less in it than the better quality and in the end you need several bags of the stuff. Get the right stuff off the bat. I like the gold bag of calf's choice total. It is costly, but one feeding is enough. They have a couple of other products with less immugloblulins (sp). They would be good choices if you are concerned the hiefer or cow does not have quite enough colstrum. (if it is a cow, ship in the fall).
Here are some links

http://www.peterna.com/colostrum/products_usa.htm
http://www.altagenetics.com/English/New ... Center.htm
http://www.canadiancattlemen.ca/vetadvice/colostrum.asp

Just a note, once the cow calves, her colostrum quality starts to goes down or degrade. So it is best if the calf ingests as soon as possible. Saving second milking is not the best choice, will do in a pinch. However best quality to save is the first milking as soon as possible

 

[dun]

Check out the powder colostrum you buy from a store.

Also check the expiration date!