Practicals

• Colostrum is rich in antibodies (mostly IgG) which are absorbed by passive transfer
• within 10 hours the ability of a calf to absorb antibodies from colostrum has reduced by half, by 24 hours there is no absorbtion.
• Colostrum has 3 main functions:

  • provide vital immunity
  • provide nutrition
  • laxitive effect to encourage passing of meconium
• Failure of passive transfer and suboptimal immunoglobulin transfer is common in about 37% of calves
• the 3 Qs of colostrum are Quality (use colostromiter or refractometer, immunoglobulin of at least 50 mg/ml) Quantitiy (10% of bodyweight (~ 4L) within 6 hours, ideally first 2 and a further 5% by 12 hours) and Quickly (first 6 hours)
• good quality colostrum has at least 50 mg/ml of immunoglobulins
• Calves should receive 10% of their body weight in colostrum in the first 6 hours (ideally first 2) and a further 5% by 12 hours. 3 litres takes approx 20 mins of suckling
• Colostrum can be stored in a fridge for up to 1 week. Can be stored frozen for up to a year. Thawing must be slow to avoid damaging the antibodies
• Methods of feeding colostrum:

  • Suckling from the dam, difficult to quantify amount consumed
  • bottle or false teat, enables exact quantity feeding.
  • stomach tube, quick and allows for known quantity
  • substitute feeding, only to be used when stored supplies are not available
• In the UK, calves are fed milk until weaning at 8 weeks (5 weeks at the earliest). Gradual transition results in least stress and better growth rates
• fresh water should be available to calves from birth to sustain feed intakes, growth rates and hydration
• Milk can be provided to calves in several forms, including whole milk from farm or milk replacer (usually milk-based proteins and fat but may contain egg-based or plant-based proteins, vegetable fats and oils)
• starter concentrates can be offered to calves from a few days old. Provides nutrition for growth and fuel for the developing rumen. Rumen microbe populations multiply using energy from concentrates which stimulate rumen papillae development
• A successfully weaned calf will be consuming 1.5kg of concentrate pellets per day by the time they are weaned
• Cattle tags in the UK indicate:

  • COuntry of origin
  • Herd number
  • 6 digit individual identifier
• The primary ear tag must be a large yellow plastic tag and must be fitted in the first 36 hours in dairy calves

  The secondary ear tag can be another large or small plastic tag or a small metal tag and must be fitted in the first 20 days

  • In beef calves both tags must be fitted by 20 days
• Disbudding:

  • chemical cautery can be applied before 7 days old without anaesthetic
  • all other methods at any age require anaesthetic (cornual nerve block)
  • Can be carried out by a trained stockperson up to 2 months of age
  • Once calves reach 2 months old, disbudding is a vet-only procedure
• Calves can be castrated by rubber ring under a week old without anaesthesia. Castration over 2 months old require local anaesthesia and a vet
• If a calf shed is below 15 degrees c then milk replacer ration should be increased and calf jackets and heaters should be considered
• signs of disease in claves:

  • weepy eyes
  • nasal discharge
  • coughing
  • wet and dirty hindquarters
  • High temperature (above 39.4 c)