Calf Mortality Flashcards
what is colostrum made of?
mostly antibodies (IgG), some immune cells, fat, minerals, vitamins, antimicrobial peptides
when do we vaccinate cows to get antibodies into colostrum? why?
5-6 weeks before parturition!
- start making colostrum 3 weeks before calf born
- takes 2 weeks to make antibodies to put into colostrum
what does transfer of passive immunity depend on?
- how much is available (immunization and nutrition of cow)
- how much calves get (5 Q’s of colostrum)
- how much they absorb (efficiency of absorption)
how much colostrum a calf gets depends on… what?
Ie, what factors determine the vol of colostrum a calf needs?
- IgG in colostrum
- how old calf is/time since birth
- efficiency of absorption
what are the 5 Q’s of colostrum
- Quality
- Quickness
- Quantity
- sQueaky clean
- Quantify
what is the quality of colostrum?
the IgG concentration
how do yield and IgC concentration correlate?
as yield goes down, IgG conc goes up
what is the yield and average IgG conc in dairy?
yield: 6.7L
IgG: 65-74g/L
what is the yield and average IgG conc in beef?
yield: 2.7L
IgG: 100-150g/L
how do you measure IgG concentration in colostrum?
- reference test (radial immunodiffusion/RID)
- estimate: Brix refractometer, colostrometer
you measure a dairy cow’s colostrum for IgG concentration using a Brix refractometer and colostrometer. what are you looking for?
we need ≥50 g/L IgG
Brix: 23%
colostrometer: 80mg/ml
you measure a beef cow’s colostrum for IgG concentration using a Brix refractometer and colostrometer. what are you looking for?
we need 100-150g/L (colostrometer)
Brix: <24% and ≥30%
why do we even measure colostrum?
if you have a calf that needs a supplement, if you’re storing for orphans, or if your cow is having lots of health issues
tell me about the quality of supplemental products of colostrum
variable in quality
don’t have enough IgG in them to be useful to calves
for beef AND dairy, need ≥100g IgG
what is quickness? (2nd Q of colostrum)
the time since birth of getting colostrum and the efficiency of absorption