Farm Horizons
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April 4
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Page 4
A calf’s most important meal
Dairy specialist shares calf immunology tips in Carver Co.
By Starrla Cray
When it comes to keeping calves healthy, the importance of their first meal can’t be overestimated, according to Dr. Max Thornsberry, a veterinarian and dairy
technical specialist with Milk Specialties Global.
“When I go look at 100 calves, I see that two-thirds
of them didn’t get the optimum amount of nutrition,”
Thornsberry said while presenting at the 2016 Carver
County Dairy Expo in Norwood Young America in
February.
After a calf is born, its mother produces colostrum (a
nutrient-dense form of milk that contains antibodies to
protect the calf’s immature digestive system). According to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and
Rural Affairs, “the most important factor in dairy calf
health and survival is feeding the newborn calf adequate
amounts of high-quality colostrum early in its life.”
Thornsberry notes that “timing is critical” for this
first meal of colostrum.
“It’s what God intended that calf to have immediately
after birth,” he said, explaining that about two hours af-
ter the calf is born, the mother begins producing milk
instead of colostrum.
“The longer you go, the greater the dilution,” he said.
A calf’s ability to absorb immunoglobulins also decreases quickly, and by the time the calf is 1 day old, the
percentage of absorption is about zero.
In one-third of dairy farms Thornsberry has encountered, calves don’t receive any colostrum during this
critical time. In another third, calves receive some, but
not the full amount veterinarians recommend.
“In one-third, someone has taken the time and effort
to give that calf three to four quarts of good, quality colostrum as soon as it was born,” Thornsberry said.
Taking the extra effort to ensure the proper amount of
colostrum has been ingested can save farmers trouble in
the long run, Thornsberry said.
“We have learned a lot about colostrum in the last
10 years,” he said, explaining that in addition to providing antibodies, colostrum contains chemical compounds
that stimulate development of the lungs, prime the liver,
and more.
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