Why every calf depends on you.
Calves are born without antibodies. No immunoglobulins reach the calf via the uterus – the entire initial immunity must come from colostrum. How quickly, how much, and in what quality you provide it determines health, losses, and future performance.
The four golden rules for colostrum provision offer practical guidance for the first hours after birth.
1. The earlier, the better
Fischer et al. (2018) impressively demonstrated the importance of early timing: timely provision immediately after birth leads to a rapid increase in IgG concentration in the blood and thus to rapid immunization of the calf.
If the initial provision is delayed by 6 or even 12 hours, the IgG level increases only slowly. The critical phase without sufficient defenses is prolonged, and the calf is significantly more susceptible to diseases.
Source: Fischer et al. (2018) – Influence of the timing of colostrum provision on IgG concentration in calf blood serum.
2. Hygiene from milking to nipple
In practice, colostrum is usually milked directly into a bucket. Even at this stage, a high bacterial load can occur. This load can further increase until feeding.
Boelhauve et al. (2018) show: Almost 70 percent of the colostrum samples examined were contaminated with coliform bacteria up to the nipple. Before the colostrum even reaches the intestine, the intestinal wall can already be colonized by pathogens.
Therefore, a close look at hygiene in the barn is worthwhile.
It’s worth taking an honest look at these questions in the barn:
- Do you use the same bucket for fresh cows and animals with udder diseases?
- Are the bucket, pail, and nipple cleaned after each milking and feeding?
- How clean is the calving pen?
- How do you store colostrum between milking and feeding?
Source: Boelhauve et al. (2018).
3. The Four Golden Rules of Colostrum Feeding
Insufficient provision of immunoglobulins in the first hours of life has serious consequences: immunodeficiency, higher losses, poorer weight gain, and increasing treatment costs. Omissions during this phase can hardly be compensated for later. With these four rules, you maintain an overview in the barn.
01
Speed
Feed within the first two hours.
Give the first colostrum as early as possible after birth. In the first two hours, the intestine is particularly receptive to antibodies – every lost hour costs immune protection.
02
Quantity
3 to 4 liters in the first 12 hours of life.
Plan for 3 to 4 liters of colostrum for each newborn calf in the first 12 hours. Only then is the supply of nutrients and immunoglobulins ensured.
03
Quality
At least 50 g IgG/liter – tested, not estimated.
Only use colostrum with at least 50 g immunoglobulin G/liter. Check the quality directly in the barn with a Brix refractometer or colostrometer.
04
Cleanliness
Clean collection, cool storage, gentle warming.
Use clean buckets, pails, and nipples. Store the colostrum chilled and warm it gently to preserve immunoglobulins and ingredients.
Good colostrum provision not only affects the first few days. In heifer calves, the effect can be demonstrated up to later lactations.
4. Targeted Colostrum Enhancement
If the colostrum is insufficient, of uncertain quality, or quickly runs out, you can specifically enhance or supplement the colostrum.
BEWI®-SAN Kälberstart supports colostrum provision immediately after birth. This supplementary feed is based on high-quality colostrum powder, vitamins, and probiotics, and is suitable for targeted enhancement of the calf’s own colostrum or as a substitute if insufficient colostrum is available.
This helps to flexibly and reliably close supply gaps in the first hours of life.
5. Calf Gut Health Begins with Colostrum
Immunoglobulins are only one part of what makes colostrum so valuable. Oligosaccharides, leukocytes, and growth factors also play a crucial role: they promote gut maturation, support the development of healthy gut flora, and strengthen defenses from the start.
Strengthening the gut in the first days of life lays an important foundation for the calf’s further development.
A good start pays off.
Speed, quantity, quality, and cleanliness – if you consistently keep these four points in mind, you create the basis for healthy, vital calves. And where your own colostrum reaches its limits, targeted enhancement with BEWI®-SAN Kälberstart helps.
