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Colostrum Management in Beef Calves

Colostrum is the first milk, and it carries the antibodies a newborn calf cannot make for itself. Getting enough, early enough, is the best health start a calf can have.

Why colostrum matters so much

A calf is born with almost no protection of its own against disease. The antibodies in colostrum pass into the calf through the gut in the first hours of life, and that window closes quickly. A calf that gets enough good colostrum early is better protected against scours, pneumonia and other trouble.

Colostrum also supplies energy and warmth to a calf working to survive its first cold, wet hours. A calf that does not nurse is at risk from several angles at once.

Consider also that a calf born in cold wet weather or after a long birth is behind from the start. Those calves deserve the closest watch and the earliest help.

Timing and quantity in plain terms

The rule most vets teach is simple: sooner is better, and more is better, within the limits of what the calf can safely take. Ask your veterinarian for the amount and timing that fit your calves, since needs depend on breed, birth weight and weather.

Every calf should be watched in the first hours to make sure it stands and nurses. If you did not see it nurse, assume it has not until you know otherwise.

What affects colostrum quality

Cows differ. Cow nutrition in late pregnancy, body condition, age, vaccination status and the weather all affect colostrum. Thin cows and heifers tend to be higher risk. Cows that leak milk before calving may lose valuable colostrum.

Good late-gestation feeding is part of colostrum management. Work with a nutritionist or extension specialist on a ration that meets the needs of the cow, and ask your vet about a vaccination program timed before calving.

Many ranchers keep a short written checklist in the calving barn so that a tired person at three in the morning still remembers to confirm the first nursing and write it down.

• Body condition score on the 1-to-9 scale, with cows in good condition at calving
• Late-gestation nutrition that meets requirements
• Vaccination timing set by your veterinarian
• Clean calving area to keep colostrum from being contaminated

When a calf does not nurse

Some calves are slow because of a hard birth, cold, weakness or a cow with a poorly shaped udder or large teats. Check the cow's udder, help the calf find a teat if it is safe, and call your vet if the calf is still not nursing.

Never tube or bottle a calf without being trained. Feeding a weak calf incorrectly can send milk into the lungs. Ask your veterinarian to teach you the right method and when to use it.

If a heifer has rejected her calf or will not stand for it, call your vet before you try to force the issue. Safety comes first, because a protective or frightened cow can hurt a person.

Colostrum from other sources

If a cow has too little or poor colostrum, your vet may talk about using colostrum from another cow or a commercial replacement product. Be cautious with stored or shared colostrum, since it can carry disease from the donor. Ask your vet about screening and handling.

Label directions and veterinary advice should guide any commercial product. Keep clean equipment and use it only for the purpose it is made for.

Checking whether it worked

Your veterinarian can test calf blood for passive transfer of antibody. Even a few tests across a calving season can show whether your program is working. Record the results with the calf IDs.

If results are poor, look at the cows, the calving pasture, calving timing and the way you check newborns. Small changes often make a large difference.

Common mistakes and what to ask

Assuming a calf nursed because it was up, ignoring first-calf heifers, waiting too long to step in, using dirty bottles and feeding tubes and sharing colostrum without knowing the donor's status are all common.

Ask your veterinarian how much and when to feed, how to test your calves, how to handle stored colostrum and how to train family and hired help on calving season routines.

• Not watching the first nursing
• Unclean bottles or tubes
• Skipping heifers
• Not testing calf response

More in Herd Health & Cattle Care

• Calf Respiratory Health at Weaning
• Weaning Stress Reduction
• Preconditioning Calves for Health
• Bull Health and Breeding Soundness
• Breeding Season Health Checklist
• Pregnancy Checking Cattle