AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Travis White, Director of Veterinary Technical Services with the Saskatoon Colostrum Company Limited (SCCL). SCCL provides whole bovine colostrum for convenient administration when colostrum is not available from the cow. We already know the importance of calves receiving colostrum shortly after birth to achieve passive transfer of immunity, but did you know that whole colostrum has benefits for the calf if also fed after day one? White discusses the exciting new research about whole colostrum and how it can be used to treat calf scours and improve gastrointestinal health. Calves with inadequate levels of IgG from passive transfer are 5.5 to 9.5 times more likely to become ill before weaning, have 4 times the mortality, and experience decrease growth and feed efficiency. The new recommendation is to provide 300 grams of IgG within 6-8 hours of birth and to have more than 40% of calves with excellent passive transfer. When calves have scours, colostrum can be used as a treatment. White discusses research that demonstrated that calves with neonatal diarrhea treated with colostrum had a decreased duration of diarrhea, increased weight gain, and used less antimicrobials. White discussed the term “gut dysbiosis” and how colostrum can help to heal the damage to the gastrointestinal tract in animals with gastroenteritis. He also discusses how veterinarians can develop treatment protocols for neonatal scours that include administration of 150 grams of IgG in 1 to 2 feedings.  

Links:
Saskatoon Colostrum Company Ltd.  

Feeding colostrum as therapy for diarrhea in preweaned calves