This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Elanco Animal Health, manufacturer of Vira Shield. Find out more information about Vira Shield at this link and the scours vaccine we discuss on the podcast on this page.  Our topic is the importance of a colostrum management program to the health, welfare and productivity to calves. Our guest is Dr. Phillip Jardon, Elanco Technical Service Consultant, and we discuss the veterinarian’s role in conducting colostrum audits to monitor and improve the colostrum program on the dairy. Jardon discusses the 5 “Qs” of colostrum management which include Quality, Quantity, Quickness, sQueaky clean and Quantify. In addition, we discuss the importance of cooling the colostrum rapidly and feeding at body temperature. The veterinarian is the ideal resource to monitor a colostrum program. Jardon discusses “go to the Gimba” which means “go to where the work is done” and visually observe what is happening on the dairy. We also discuss the importance of using tools to support visual observation such as evaluating colostral and serum IgG with a refractometer, culturing colostrum for bacterial overgrowth, using temperature logging devices (HOBO’s), and using a luminometer to check sanitation of all equipment.  Veterinarians can implement colostrum auditing services immediately on client operations to improve calf health and the success of the dairy by incorporating these tips.

Links and publications: 

Consensus recommendations on calf- and herd-level passive immunity in dairy calves in the United States
J Dairy Sci, Vol. 103, Issue 8, August 2020

 Dairy Calf and Heifer Association Gold Standards
Standards for dairy calves developed by the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association

 Calf Notes
Website of calf resources in printable format developed by Dr. Jim Quigley

Calf Facts Resource Library
Website of calf resources in printable format developed by Dr. Sam Leadley at Attica Veterinary Associates P.C.