Colostrum management for dairy calves
Subject Areas : clinical veterinary science
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Keywords: colostrum, dairy calf, passive immunity,
Abstract :
Bovine placentas are classified as cotyledonary synepitheliochorial based on their morphological attributes at gross and microscopic levels.
An intrauterine transfer of immunoglobulins is almost impossible, and calves are born with a naive immune system.
If cows fail to produce enough colostrum their calves are more likely to have high incidences of morbidity and mortality.
Several risk factors might be responsible for poor colostrum yield and quality in dairy cows.
The “Three Q's” as a general guideline for providing colostrum: Quantity, Quality and Quickness of feeding
Transfer of passive immunity (TPI) is evaluated or quantified by measuring calf serum or plasma IgG or total protein.
Raising healthy calves depends on the correct management of colostrum and this process starts from the dam's pregnancy period and continues until sufficient absorption of immunoglobulins.
The proposed TPI standard includes 4 serum IgG categories: excellent, good, fair, and poor with serum IgG levels of ≥25.0, 18.0–24.9, 10.0–17.9, and <10 g/L. At the herd level, it is proposed that >40, 30, 20, and <10% of calves are in the excellent, good, fair, and poor TPI categories, respectively.
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