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Beneficial Effect and Economic Importance of using all Colostrum Produced in Calf Raising

Department of Dairy Husbandry and the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, The Ohio State University and The Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station

ABSTRACT

Seventy-six calves, born in The Ohio State University dairy herd, were divided into comparable groups at birth. For the first 3 days all calves received colostrum from their dams. After 3 days, the calves in both groups were fed and managed similarly, except that for calves in Group I, colostrum, whenever available, replaced part or all of the regular ration of Holstein milk. The amounts of either milk or colostrum fed were determined by the body weights of the calves.

Calves in Group I maintained higher levels of blood plasma vitamin A and carotene, made more rapid weight gains, especially during the first 6 weeks,, and exhibited a superior physical appearance. Abrupt changes in the amounts of colostrum fed, which in some instances varied from no colostrum to all colostrum, did not create any special management problems. The calves did not scour from colostrum feeding.

Complete utilization of all colostrum for calf feeding is important from an economic standpoint. Only 30 per cent of the colostrum produced in The Ohio State University dairy herd during the calendar year was used in feeding calves during the first 3 days. The balance, which exceeded 4,000 lb., was used to replace an equal amount of marketable milk in the feeding of calves in Group I. The general practice of using all the colostrum produced in the raising of calves would result in a substantial saving of marketable milk.