Student Case Presentation
Spiking Colostrum Replacement Powder Directly into Maternal Colostrum I: Impacts on Transfer of Passive Immunity and Health of Neonatal Dairy Calves
| Date/Time: |
9/12/2024 4:15 pm
|
| Presenter: |
Maggie Brown |
| Veterinary School: |
MN |
Abstract:
Farm staff frequently mix unreconstituted (dry) colostrum replacement (CR) powder directly into maternal colostrum (MC) prior to feeding. However, this practice could be problematic if the final mixture has an excessively high osmolality. Our objective was to describe the effect of first reconstituting CR with water before feeding with MC, as compared to spiking unreconstituted CR powder directly into MC, on transfer of passive immunity and health in calves. Eligible newborn calves were removed from the dam within 45 minutes of birth and weighed. Calves in both small (60-85 lb) or large (85.1-115 lb) weight categories were randomly assigned to one of the four colostrum treatment groups (MC60, MC90, CR-MC60, CR-H20-MC60), where MC60 was moderate quality MC (60 g/L), MC90 was high quality MC (90 g/L), CR-MC60 was dry CS powder (Premolac, Zinpro Corp.) mixed directly into MC60, and CR-H2O-MC60 was CR reconstituted in water before mixing into MC60 (n=33/group). The target dose of IgG (g) was standardized for both small or large calf categories, with the goal being to deliver an equal dose of IgG among the groups. At 24 (±1) hr of age, an 8 mL venous blood sample was collected for determination of serum IgG (g/L). Calves were health scored daily for the next 3 days, and reweighed on day 3. Mixing CR powder directly into MC resulted in serum IgG levels that exceeded moderate quality MC and matched high quality MC. However, first reconstituting CR powder in water prior to adding to moderate quality MC did not result in higher serum IgG levels as compared to moderate quality MC. Neither health or growth were impaired in the CR-MC60 or CR-H2O-MC90 groups. These results show that the CR product studied can be safely added into MC without prior reconstitution in water.
