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NOTE::: UPDATE VIDEO

Calf 101 Unit 1 – Colostrum Management

  1. Hello and welcome to An introduction to calf Nutrition and management. This is Unit 1, Colostrum Management.
  2. In this unit we have four sections. Section 1, the introduction, includes some definitions. Then we’ll discuss nutrient composition of colostrum and transition milk. Then we’ll look at the immunoglobulin component of colostrum. In Section 2 entitled From the Cow, we’ll look at the synthesis or production of colostrum, the variability in quality, and the use of the refractometer to control that variation. In Section 3, we’ll talk a little bit about feeding colostrum, including IgG absorption, the timing of colostrum feeding amounts to feed and methods of feeding and finally feeding colostrum post day one. And finally, in Section 4, management, we’ll discuss contamination and storage of colostrum, pasteurizing and some miscellaneous topics. OK, let’s get started.
  3. Let’s begin with Section 1, the introduction.
  4. To make sure we’re all on the same page, let’s begin with a few definitions. First of all, colostrum. colostrum is defined as the lacteal secretions produced in the first 24 hours after calving. Note that we don’t use the word milk when we discuss colostrum and instead use the term lacteal secretions. That’s because colostrum is very different from milk and though it comes from the same place on the cow that is the udder, the composition of colostrum is so different that it really should be considered a different product. Transition milk is the milk produced during days two and three after calving. This milk is produced during the transition period between the colostrum phase and the milk producing phase and the composition. Of this milk changes with each milking. First, milk and colostrum is produced in the first milking after calving. It almost always has the highest concentration of immunoglobulins.
  5. When we look at the nutrient composition of colostrum, we see that the colostrum is more concentrated in solids, fat and protein. The table on the right was the results of a study conducted in 2011 by Moral et al, Where The researchers Collected colostrum from all across the United States. We see the solids concentration averaged 22.6%, which is much higher than the average solids composition of milk, which is around 12 1/2 percent. Similarly, fat and protein concentrations were much higher, and the immunoglobulin G or IgG concentration averaged about 69 grams per liter. Normal milk contains very low levels of immunoglobulins. colostrum is the primary source of immunoglobulins, including IgG, which is the primary immunoglobulin found in colostrum. Now, one of the important things to remember is that colostrum composition is highly variable from cow to cow. And we can see this in the table. We look at the minimum and maximum of the samples that were collected. For example, solids concentration ranged from less than 2% to more than 33%, fat concentration about 1% for a minimum and 21.7% as a maximum.
  6. There are many reasons for the variation in the composition of colostrum. One of the important ones is the parity of the cow. Parity has a strong influence on colostrum composition. This table shows that cows in their second and third lactations produce colostrum with higher amounts of IgG. However, there was little difference in the protein concentration and the fat concentration tended to decline slightly with increasing parity.
  7. The data in this slide are classical data published by Foley and Otterby in 1979. We see the milking number from the first milking colostrum, transition milk, and whole milk. The concentration of most nutrients changed with the advancing milk number. For example, specific gravity decreased from 1.056 to 1.033, which is typical for whole milk. Total solids decline from 23.9% in this study. Down to 12.9% for whole milk, which is pretty standard. The concentrations of protein and fat both declined with advancing milking numbers. Interestingly, the concentration of lactose tended to increase with advancing milk number.
  8. Here’s something to think about. Consider colostrum from 2 cows we can see below. How will this affect calves that are fed 2 liters of each of their colostrum in the first feeding after birth? colostrum one has a solid concentration of 24% with fat and protein of five and 15% and an IgG concentration of 102 grams per liter. The second sample of colostrum contains 14% solids, 3.2% fat, 8% protein and 27 grams per liter. How? Consider what the effect will be on the calf, both immunologically and nutritionally. Take a moment and discuss.  {Break out}
  9. In addition to fat and protein and IgG, colostrum contains a number of growth factors and hormones. The concentration of these proteins declines with milking number to normal concentrations we find in milk. The table shows the difference in the concentration of some of these growth factors in colostrum in the first column and milk in the second. We can see, for example, that the concentrations of IGF-1 ranges from approximately 50 to 2000 micrograms per liter in colostrum to less than 10 micrograms per liter in whole milk. IGF-2, insulin, lactoferrin, and lysozyme are similarly different and higher in colostrum versus milk. The role of these compounds is not fully understood, but they’re probably associated with maturation of the intestine.
  10. Immunoglobulins are proteins that are produced by the immune cells in the cow that recognize proteins that are foreign to the animal’s body.  The proteins that are recognized are normally part of the bacterial cell or the virus. And once those proteins are recognized, the immunoglobulin serves as a signal to the animal’s immune system to attack the foreign agent and kill it. Calves are born with few or no immunoglobulins in their bloodstream at birth, and acquire them by drinking colostrum in the first 24 hours after birth. We’ll discuss a little more about that process in the coming presentation.
  11. There are three major immunoglobulins in colostrum IgG, IgM, and IgA.  We most commonly talk about IgG when we refer to colostrum, because 80 to 90% of the immunoglobulin in colostrum is IgG. IgM is a much larger molecule made up of five fragments or  Ig type molecules that are arranged around a center protein called a J-chain. The third type of immunoglobulin in colostrum is called IgA, which is normally found in a dimeric form or double type IgG’s connected to a center protein. IgM and IgA are in much smaller concentrations in colostrum.
  12. Here is a YouTube video that shows an animation of the role of immunoglobulins.  There are two important factors here…. {Video}
  13. Let’s stop for a moment to reflect and discuss. We usually think of colostrum quality as the Ig concentration, but there are many more components in colostrum than just Ig. Something to think about, how do you define quality colostrum to your clients? Have you discussed the role that other components may play in calf growth and health? Take a few moments to discuss with your group. {Break out}
  14. So let’s summarize our introduction. #1 colostrum is the secretion from the udder in the first day after calving. The composition, especially of IgG is much different from normal milk. Transition milk contains similar components to colostrum, but in decreasing concentrations and reflects the production of transition milk during days two and three after calving.
  15. This is section two of unit 1, colostrum Management and Section 2 will cover the colostrum coming from the cow, including colostrum synthesis, the variability in colostrum quality and using the refractometer.
  16. Colostrum is a source of nutrition and immune components for the newborn calf. Let’s take a look at How immunoglobulins get into colostrum.  Immunoglobulins are a part of the immune system and immunoglobulin G, or IgG circulate to various parts of the body through the blood.
  17. Approximately 3 weeks prior to calving, the cow begins to accumulate IgG in the udder. We’re not exactly sure how this occurs, but the process appears to be under hormonal control. IgA and IgM are produced in smaller amounts locally within the udder. This process continues until calving, when the cow will begin producing the colostrum to feed the calf.
  18. The data in this graph are from a study where the researchers collected samples of colostrum from dairy farms all over the United States. We’re looking at the colostrum IgG concentrations in grams per liter from over 800 samples of colostrum.  The average IgG concentration of all the samples in the study averaged about 69 grams per liter, but you can see the range was significant.  Eighteen samples were in the range of 10 to 20 grams per liter, and 17 samples were 170 grams per liter or more.  The reasons for this variation are many. As we discussed previously, parity has a strong effect on the IgG concentration of colostrum. But other factors influence this as well, including breed, vaccination, the milking number, time after calving, volume of colostrum produced, stress on the animal, heat stress and, of course, disease.
  19. This table shows a summary of several trials that have evaluated the IgG concentration in colostrum from various numbers of cows in studies conducted around the world. This is not an exhaustive review of IgG concentrations, but simply a convenient sample of published studies. On the average, IgG concentrations were about 53 grams per liter for all of the studies in this sample. However, what’s really notable is the range in concentrations from minimum to maximum. The largest data set in this sample from Gullickson et al with 1,250 cows shows a remarkable variation. One sample contained only four grams of IgG per liter, whereas the highest recorded sample contained 235 grams per liter. Really a remarkable variability.
  20. One really important factor affecting colostral IgG concentration that is directly under the farmer’s control is the time after calving at which the colostrum is collected. Colostrum left in the udder tends to lose IgG over time. The data in this table are from a study that was published in 2005 by researchers in Washington state. They collected one quarter of a cows udder at two hours of age, then again a second quarter at six hours of age, a third quarter at 10 hours, and finally the last quarter of the cow at 14 hours. They compared the Ig concentrations of each of the quarters and saw that the IgG concentration of colostrum Ig declined with every hour after calving.  So, for farmers that milk fresh cows once or twice per day, The colostrum they collect may contain significantly less Ig then what the cows would produce if the colostrum was collected as soon as possible after calving.
  21. As we’ve seen, colostrum from dairy cows is hugely variable in IgG concentration. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to know which colostrum is high quality. That is the colostrum that contains lots of nutrients and is high in IgG concentration. There’s little difference between high quality colostrum and low quality colostrum in terms of color, thickness or volume, which are generally poor indicators of quality.
  22. One way to monitor colostrum quality is to use a BRIX refractometer. Refractometers are instruments that measure the bending of light as it passes through a liquid. The greater number of dissolved particles in the liquid will cause the light to bend, and this instrument can measure the bending of the light and record it on a scale that gives the user. A measurement of the amount of dissolved particles in the liquid. These refractometers were first developed for use in the brewing, wine,  and fruit juice industries To measure the amount of dissolved sugar.  However, we can also use them to measure the to estimate the quality of colostrum.
  23. This graph from Morrill et al. shows the relationship between BRIX concentration and IgG in over 800 samples of colostrum. We can see a relatively linear content correlation between BRIX and IgG, with an R square of 0.54.  The R Square is an indication of the quality of the relationship, and the closer to 1, the more perfect the relationship. This graph on the left is from all 800 samples, including fresh, refrigerated and frozen samples. The graph on the right shows only the fresh samples and we can see that the relationship is much better. Therefore, we always recommend that the BRIX measurement should be taken directly after milking the cow.
  24. So, what is the relationship between BRIX values and IgG concentrations? Most research suggests that the cutoff for determining high quality colostrum, that is colostrum with at least 50 grams per liter of IgG, should be a minimum of 21%. Other research shows a cutoff point of approximately 22%. Generally, however, the higher the BRIX concentration, the more solids in the colostrum and a greater proportion of high IgG.
  25. There are a number of different instruments available in the marketplace. The refractometer on the bottom is an optical refractometer and requires that the user look at the scale to determine the BRIX concentration. The refractometer on the right at the top is a digital refractometer and only requires that the user add a drop of colostrum to the well and the BRIX reading will be displayed. When they are used properly, there’s no difference in accuracy or precision between optical or digital refractometers. Digital refractometers are more expensive, but they’re easier to use.
  26. Let’s watch a short video that was produced several years ago on how to use a refractometer.
  27. Because colostrum, IgG and solids concentrations vary so much from cow to cow, it’s very important to monitor and manage this variation. Standard operating procedures are essential for managing colostrum variation. Our written protocol is necessary for every farm. The topics in the SOP should include how soon after calving will the cows be milked? How is colostrum collected?  Is colostrum collected by hand, by machine or in the milking parlor? How is the equipment going to be sanitized? How and when will BRIX measurements be taken? And many aspects of the managing the refractometer. And finally, how are we going to manage the data that’s collected from this SOP?  It’s important to monitor BRIX values over time to see whether there’s any change in the quality of the colostrum being fed to calves.
  28. Here’s a fun video from a brewer in the United Kingdom.  They remind us that the FIRST use of the BRIX refractometer is in making beer and wine.  In this YouTube video, one of the brewers reminds us of the importance of calibrating the refractometer.  Same hold true on the farm.
  29. Let’s stop for a moment for some reflection and discussion. As we saw, BRIX refractometers measure total solids in colostrum, not IgG directly. However, there is a close relationship between solids and IgG. The refractometer is not 100% accurate but can safely eliminate colostrum of poor quality. It’s also fast and cheap. So, something to think about. What proportion of your clients use a BRIX refractometer to estimate colostrum quality? What is the most common cut point for good versus poor quality colostrum that your producers use?
  30. Another source of variation in the production of colostrum is the volume that is produced by the cow. Many cows produce too little colostrum to feed their calves, and this is especially a problem with Jersey cows. The graph on the right shows the variation in colostrum yield from a dairy herd of Jersey cows over a. Two year. We can see that from weeks 39 of 2016 to week 8 of 2017, cows with second or greater parities tended to produce much less colostrum than other times of the year, or from first calf heifers. Many of these cows produced less than two liters of colostrum.  The exact cause of this low production still remains unclear, but there are many potential factors including pre caving, stress, genetics and photoperiod as we’ve seen in this study. When cows don’t produce enough colostrum, farmers need to rely on alternatives, such as frozen colostrum from a bank that’s stored on the farm, or colostrum replacers.
  31. Colostrum replacers 1
  32. Colostrum Replacers 2
  33. Let’s summarize our section on colostrum from the cow. Point number one is that variation in the concentration of IgG and other proteins in colostrum is huge. Additionally, the variation in nutrient concentration, for example fat and crude protein, are also very significant. Point #2 is that poor quality colostrum is a big problem on many farms. The variation in IgG concentration and the production of low volumes of colostrum make colostrum quality a challenge. And finally, a BRIX refractometer is a great tool to reduce the variation in colostrum feeding and improve the overall effectiveness of the colostrum feeding program. Well, that wraps up Section 2 on production of colostrum by the cow, be sure to stop by for sections 3 and 4. We’ll see you next time.
  34. Welcome back to Unit 1, colostrum Feeding and Management. This is Section 3 on Feeding colostrum. In this section we’ll cover IgG, absorption, the timing of colostrum, feeding the amounts to feed and methods, and feeding on post day one. Let’s have a look.
  35. We’ll begin by discussing the importance of immunoglobulins from colostrum in newborn calves. All newborn ungulates, that is, hoofed animals including cattle, horses, swine, sheep and goats are born without immunoglobulins in their bloodstream. That’s different from newborns of other species, including humans, cats and dogs that have immunoglobulins in their blood. The difference here is related to the mother’s placenta and the ability of the immunoglobulins to cross the placenta and enter the fetal bloodstream. So, in this picture, at birth the newborn boy would have Immunoglobulins in his bloodstream to protect him against pathogens in the environment. However, the newborn calf needs to consume colostrum in order to obtain these immunoglobulins to protect it.
  36. The intestine of these animals has the unique ability to absorb immunoglobulins and other proteins without digestion for a limited period of time after birth. After this time, The animal can no longer absorb macromolecules without first digesting them. The loss of this ability is called closure. The actual time of closure depends on the species of animals. In some circumstances of birth, prenatal condition, stress, and the time of feeding, but generally it ranges from about 24 hours for calves to about 72 hours for piglets.
  37. The graph on the right shows a hypothetical model of the loss of this ability to absorb IgG. Early in life, the calf is more efficient and absorbs more IgG and by about 24 hours this ability is gone. Closure is related to the turnover of intestinal cells, the production of digestive enzymes in the intestine, and production of acid in the abomasum. We use the term apparent efficiency of absorption, or AEA, as an index to estimate the calf ‘s ability to absorb IgG.  AE’s at birth are thought to be the highest and somewhere around 50% and decline over time into closure at about 24 hours in the newborn calf. Let me reiterate that the graph here is a hypothetical curve. The actual form of this curve is still somewhat unclear and certainly varies from calf to calf.
  38. Let’s look at the process of absorption of IgG and other components of colostrum by the calf. Here we see many of the components of colostrum, including fat globules, the immunoglobulins themselves. Lactose and some various protein molecules. As these reach the intestine, the intestinal cells begin the process of absorption. The formal name for this process is called pinocytosis. The first step is the formation of a vacuole by the intestinal cell. The formation of the vacuole pulls in components from the lumen of the intestine. In Step 2, here we see the vacuole forming with fat globules, 2 molecules of lactose three molecules of IgG, some protein and unfortunately, a bacterium.  In Step 3, the vacuole has sealed and is now moving across the intestinal cell.  During this trip This cell may interact with digestive vacuoles that contain digestive enzymes. Early in life, there are few of these intestinal vacuoles. However, as the calf gets older, more of these digestive vacuoles are present in the intestinal cell, resulting in greater digestion. In part 4, we see the final Step in the process. Proteins have been digested. The bacterium has been digested. However, the IgG’s have been protected by against digestion. Within these vacuoles there are special molecules that protect the immunoglobulins during the trip.  The final step is called Exocytosis, and the contents of the Vacuole move into the lymph system and ultimately to the bloodstream. This process of endocytosis is nonspecific. That is, anything that is presented in the intestine of the animal will be absorbed and will be transported.
  39. Here is a YouTube video that describes the process in slightly different terms.
  40. A critically important practical consideration of the feeding of colostrum is when to feed.  The timing of colostrum feeding is critical to the risk of disease and mortality.  To demonstrate this idea, I’ll summarize a study conducted in the 1970s by researchers in the United Kingdom. The researchers utilized two groups of calves From the same farm and born under the same conditions. The first group was fed one to two liters of maternal colostrum. And then a short time later, were inoculated with E coli. Early in life, E coli can be highly pathogenic and dangerous for newborn calves. However, this group had 0% morbidity and 0% mortality. The second group was born under the same conditions and fed the same amount and quality of colostrum. The only difference was that the E coli were administered before feeding the colostrum. Morbidity and mortality rates approach 75% in this group. The researchers concluded that colostrum must be fed prior to infection to ensure that the calves stay healthy.  The results of this research are very meaningful. Indicate that what gets. Into the intestine first may have a critically important effect on the survival and growth of the young calf.  If bacteria or viruses arrive first, the calf is much more likely to get sick and die. If colostrum is fed first, the calf is much more likely to stay healthy.
  41. Let’s talk a little bit about the amount of colostrum to feed. We’ll use the same AEA graph to estimate the amount of immunoglobulin that can be absorbed by the animal. In this example, we’ll Feed the calf 2 liters of high quality colostrum at two hours of age and two more liters at 12 hours of age. Let’s assume that both colostrum feedings contain 50 grams of IgG per liter. From the graph we see that the efficiency of absorption of the first feeding is 45% and the efficiency of the second feeding is about 10%. We can do the math to calculate the amount of IgG That will be absorbed into the bloodstream. We then use a calculation based on body weight to estimate the blood volume.  In newborn calves, about 9% of the calf ‘s body is in the plasma fraction. Therefore, if the calf weighs 45 kilos at birth, then we can use this estimate to determine the number of liters of plasma or serum in which the immunoglobulins will be distributed. And in this way we can calculate the IgG concentration. In this example, we estimate that the calf will have after 24 hours an IgG concentration of 13.6 grams per liter of serum. Until recently, industry standards recommended that IgG should be greater than 10 grams per liter at 24 hours of age, and this indicated that calves were relatively well protected against disease.
  42. Let’s look at another example. In this case, we’ll feed 4 liters of colostrum, again at two hours of age. We do the same type of math and determine that in this case the IgG concentration is more than 22 grams per liter, so the animals would have higher IgG concentrations and would be better protected against disease.
  43. In our next example, we’ll feed the same amount, but only do so later. In this example, we’ll feed the same 4 liters of colostrum, but this time we’ll feed it at 8 hours of age. And here, when we do the same calculation, we see that instead of 22 grams per liter, the calves are reaching IgG concentrations in their serum of approximately 10 grams per liter, approximately 50% of what they would have received had they been fed by two hours of age.
  44. In our final example, we’ll feed calves poor quality colostrum. We’ll feed at the same time as our first example at 2 and 12 hours of age, but this time assume that the colostrum contains only 25 grams of IgG per liter. The resulting serum IgG concentration is 6.8 grams per liter. Much lower than our target of a minimum of 10 grams per liter.
  45. In 2020, a group of experts gathered to evaluate the results of an analysis of survival and health data of calves in the United States.  This group of experts published a paper in 2020 that made new recommendations for herd level passive immunity. The researchers evaluated both morbidity and mortality rates. And they found that to reduce morbidity, higher levels of serum IgG were needed. That’s  different from the standards for mortality. They found that the 10 gram per liter standard was OK to maintain low levels of calf mortality. Ultimately, the researchers recommended that the traditional calf level of 10 grams of IgG per liter of serum was no longer sufficient to continue to improve calf health. The new recommendations are shown here. The serum IgG concentration. Of all calves on a herd or an acceptable representative sample of calves on herd would be evaluated. The new recommendation is that  40% of these calves should have a serum IgG greater than 25 grams per liter. The next 30% should be at least 18 and as high as 24.9 grams per liter. Only 20% of calves should be between 10 and 17.9 grams per liter and less than 10% of calves should have less than 10 grams per liter. This approach requires that calves be sampled regularly and a representative sample of the entire herd be evaluated.
  46. Let’s stop for a moment of discussion
  47. I’d like to touch just for a moment. To discuss the role of immunoglobulins following gut closure. You’ve learned in this module that gut closure means that the immunoglobulins can no longer be absorbed without digestion into the blood and delivered into the bloodstream. However, there is an important role for immunoglobulins within the lumen of the intestine. Immunoglobulins in the intestine can interact with potential pathogens, keeping them from binding and also serving as a way of educating the immune system against the potential pathogens. We don’t have time to go into too much detail about this system. However, the role of the immunoglobulin in the intestine is very important. Immunoglobulins are inherently resistant to digestion, so if we feed calves immunoglobulins after the time of gut closure, they can still provide some local intestinal immunity. A number of studies have been conducted to evaluate the continued feeding of colostrum or transition milk on the health of calves.
  48. Here’s a study conducted in 2014 where calves were fed either 78.5 or 10% of their body weight is colostrum in the first feeding, and then we’re fed transition milk after gut closure for 0, 2 or 4 feedings. The researchers evaluated the relative risk of various diseases and compared the inclusion of transition milk versus none. We can see here that when transition milk was fed for two or four feedings, there was a reduction in the mean health score. That is, the number of calves that had a problem with nasal infections or ear and eye infections. There was no significant effect on fecal infections or on cough. However, feeding transition milk reduced the odds that calves would have nasal or eye or ear problems by about 50%.
  49. In the second study, calves were fed colostrum for day one and then were fed a mixture of colostrum plus whole milk for the first 14 days. You can see the feeding rates here. That colostrum was fed at zero, 350 or 700 grams per day. Following the first two weeks, the calves were fed a normal diet of five liters of whole milk per day. The mean health scores are shown in the chart on the right. You can see the dramatic improvement in the mean health scores or risk of fever, depression, pneumonia and to a lesser extent, diarrhea when colostrum was fed at either 350 or 700 grams. Also, there was a linear increase in average daily gain with the increasing inclusion of colostrum, as well as an improvement in feed efficiency. So, you can see that the immune components of colostrum can have an important role in improving the health of calves, even when they’re fed after the first 24 hours.
  50. Let’s stop for a little reflection and discussion. Remember the goal is defeat caves soon enough with colostrum that is strong enough to achieve high circulating IgG. Continued feeding after one day will confer additional health benefits. And monitoring serum IgG and calves gives important information about the quality of the colostrum program. So, with this in mind, here are some things to think about. How many of your clients use a BRIX refractometer on a regular basis? Do they know the implications of low IgG and their calves? And what do they do to manage the information that they achieve by using the BRIX refractometer?
  51. Let’s summarize the section on feeding colostrum. First, we need to feed high quality colostrum as soon as possible after birth. To achieve a sufficiently high serum IgG concentration in calves. The new consensus recommendations tell us that at least 40% of calves on a farm should have at least 25 grams of IgG G per liter of serum. Another 30% should be between 18 and 24.9. 20% greater than 10 grams per liter and only 10% of calves should be less than 10 grams per liter. With this in mind, we’ve learned that managing the colostrum program aggressively is the only way to achieve this goal.
  52. Hello and welcome back to Section 4 of Unit 1. In this section, we’ll talk about the management of colostrum. Specific topics include contamination and storage, pasteurizing and some most miscellaneous. Let’s have a look.
  53. It’s hard to overstate the importance of cleanliness of colostrum. It’s a critical factor affecting the health of the calf. Research indicates that much of the colostrum fed to calves contains large numbers of bacteria. Contaminated colostrum reduces the apparent deficiency of absorption and may cause diseases such as Johne’s disease, salmonellosis and others.
  54. Unfortunately, colostrum contamination is very common. Whether the colostrum is fed open. Stored improperly or stored in large containers in the refrigerator or freezer, it’s very common to see contaminated colostrum.
  55. Colostrum growth.
  56. To make the point that colostrum is easily contaminated, I’ll show you a study that was published in 2005 by Stuart et al. In this research, samples of colostrum were collected into clean equipment and stored in a farm refrigerator at 4 degrees C or at room temperature for 24, 48 or 96 hours, and total plate counts were measured to determine the rate of contamination.  The graph shows the total plate counts in thousands of CFU per milliliter in either refrigerated or room temperature samples at 0, 24, 48 and 96 hours. When the samples were first collected, they both contained 100,000 cfu per ml. Remember this is the maximum concentration we like to see in colostrum to be fed to calves. By 24 hours, the refrigerated samples contained over 500,000 cfu per ml and by 48 hours. They were over 4,000,000 CFU per ml and finally at 96 hours the concentrations had declined down to 1.5 million, probably as a result of fermentation and the production of acid.  The blue bars show what happened when the samples were at room temperature. By 24 hours, Bacterial counts increase to over 18 million cfu per ml. It was impossible to get that onto the Y axis of this graph, so I’ll just demonstrate it here. By 48 hours, the concentration had declined again to about four million cfu. This is also likely due to the production of acid by fermentation, with the acid killing off some of the acid sensitive bacteria that were growing in the sample during the first 24 hours. If our goal is to maintain 100,000 cfu or less, we can see clearly that either refrigerating or leaving at room temperature is not the way to achieve our goal. This research is the basis for the recommendation that colostrum should never be stored in the refrigerator for more than 24 hours.
  57. In another study, samples of colostrum were collected from dairy farms across the US and evaluated for total play counts. Samples were either taken fresh from the cow or immediately after collection. Samples were also collected from the refrigerator and from the freezer. Total plate count categories in blue for less than 100,000 or what we would consider optimal Yellow 100 to 500,000, orange from 500,000 to a million and red more than a million cfu per ml. For the fresh samples, you can see that over 2/3 of the samples were in the good category that they contain less than 100,000 CFU per ml, and only 12% of those samples contain more than one million cfu per mil. While this is not considered optimal, it certainly is better than the other options. Frozen samples, about 61% were in the good category, but about 40% contained too many bacteria. But the worst case scenario was the samples that was that were collected from the refrigerator. Only 23% of these samples fell into the good category and 38%. Contained 1,000,000 bacteria per ml or more. Clearly, storing in the refrigerator is a is a problem on many, many dairy farms. 
  58. One way to improve the microbiological quality of colostrum is via pasteurization. And pasteurizing colostrum has been evaluated in a number of studies in the last 10 or 15 years. Researchers have evaluated the effect of time and temperature on colostral IgG viscosity and efficiency of absorption. The numbers are clear. When colostrum is properly pasteurized, the absorption of IgG by the calf and the efficiency of absorption are generally improved. Pasteurization conditions for colostrum are different from those for whole milk. Researchers have found that the colostrum needs to be pasteurized exactly at 60 degrees centigrade for 60 minutes to ensure that all of the possible pathogens. Have been reduced in concentration. Remember, pasteurization is not sterilization, and pasteurized colostrum if left in the wrong conditions will see bacteria regrow to pre-pasteurization concentrations.  We generally recommend that colostrum be collected and tested with a BRIX refractometer. The best quality colostrum should be pasteurized and either fed immediately or stored in the freezer.  Lower quality colostrum can be used as transition milk.
  59. Colostrum preservatives
  60. One question often asked about feeding colostrum is it better to feed by a nipple bottle or by esophageal feeder? Researchers have evaluated this and found that differences in IgG absorption or efficiency of absorption are minimal.  The advantage of an esophageal feeder is it’s possible to feed larger volumes of colostrum. Whereas they need additional training as well as additional maintenance, they are harder to clean than a nipple bottle.
  61. There’s a lot of interest in the industry about leaving the calf with the dam and allowing the calf to nurse colostrum during the first 24 hours after birth. The research here is unequivocal. Calves that nursed the dam consume less colostrum and they start later than when their bottle fed. The ceramic G concentrations they achieve are almost always lower. The incidence of disease is higher and mortality is higher. The graph at the bottom of the slide shows the percentage of calves that were delayed in suckling by 8 hours or more when they were left with the dam.  You can see in some cases that more than 40% of calves didn’t nurse within the first eight hours after birth. And as we saw regarding The timing of colostrum feeding The importance of early intake of colostrum can’t be overstated. Therefore, allowing calves to be with the mother and not drinking colostrum is a real problem.
  62. Let’s stop for a moment of reflection and discussion. Consuming colostrum is so important to the health of the calf that the process must be taken seriously. Written protocols are recommended for everyone to follow and records should be kept. Having a system to keep records and evaluate them periodically is really important. So, something to think about. Do your clients know the variation in their overall colostrum program? That is, do they understand the variability in the colostrum they collect from the cows and how does that influence the variability in the serum IgG concentrations their calves chief? Do they know the percentage of calves that fall into the new recommendations? And how do producers manage feeding and storage of colostrum? What weak links are easy to spot? Take a moment and discuss with your group.
  63. Well, let’s summarize the management section of this unit. Number one cleanliness of colostrum is often a weak link in the colostrum program. #2 colostrum should be Less than 100,000 cfu per ml of total bacteria and less than 10,000 cfu per ml of coliforms. And #3 pasteurization is valuable. Feeding by tube or bottle ASAP after birth is the best management.
  64. Here are a few additional resources on the topic of feeding colostrum… feel free to stop the video…
  65. Well, congratulations, you’ve completed Unit 1. You’re well on your way to becoming an expert in cafe nutrition and management. I look forward to seeing you in Unit 2, where we’ll discuss whole milk management. See you then.

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