From calf & heifer advisor:
Get a better response to vaccination
An adequate amount of good-quality colostrum provides antibodies that protect the calf against infectious disease during its first few months of life. Other components of colostrum also help the calf respond to immune challenges, including vaccination. "Fat-soluble vitamins such as A and E do not cross the placenta well, but they are present in high concentration (in) colostrum from cows that have been consuming diets sufficient in these nutrients," says Amelia Woolums, veterinarian at the University of Georgia. "Calves that do not ingest an adequate volume of good-quality colostrum will begin life deficient in these vitamins, which will make them unable to respond properly to vaccination as long as the deficiency persists."
Get a better response to vaccination
An adequate amount of good-quality colostrum provides antibodies that protect the calf against infectious disease during its first few months of life. Other components of colostrum also help the calf respond to immune challenges, including vaccination. "Fat-soluble vitamins such as A and E do not cross the placenta well, but they are present in high concentration (in) colostrum from cows that have been consuming diets sufficient in these nutrients," says Amelia Woolums, veterinarian at the University of Georgia. "Calves that do not ingest an adequate volume of good-quality colostrum will begin life deficient in these vitamins, which will make them unable to respond properly to vaccination as long as the deficiency persists."
