Autumn calving is well and truly underway and it is important that farmers are making sure that their calves are receiving adequate colostrum (beestings).
Colostrum management is the single most important management factor in determining calf health and survival, so all calves must receive sufficient amounts of colostrum immediately to support their growth and optimise their welfare.
Beestings is the first milk produced by the cow. The next two to eight milkings are called ‘transition milk’.
Unlike milk, beestings contains immunoglobulins, energy, cytokines, growth factors and increased levels of vitamins and minerals with a higher fat and protein content.
Feeding fresh beestings can be quite straight forward once hygiene is kept in mind, but a few farmers still waste the surplus beestings which could be put to use.
Colostrum
To ensure the colostrum is of good quality, a brix refractometer should be used and this will measure the amount of immunoglobulins it contains.
Only samples that test 22% or higher should be fed to calves, as samples that test over 22% mean that it contains at least 50mg/ml of immunoglobulins.
Beestings can be stored at 4℃ for two days without negatively affecting the absorption of colostral immunoglobulins by the calf.
Storing beestings at higher temperatures leads to decreased absorption of immunoglobulins due to an increase in bacterial contamination.
Frozen beestings can be stored at -18 to -25℃ for at least a year without altering in quality.
Reheating
Colostrum must be slowly thawed at temperatures below 50℃ in the likes of a hot bucket of water, in order to not affect its water quality.
Cold, refrigerated colostrum should be warmed in water bath or bucket before feeding to help increase antibody uptake by the calf.
Ideally, calves should be receiving colostrum at body temperature of 38℃ and a maximum of 50℃, as temperatures above this will cause colostral proteins, including immunoglobulins, to diminish.
A microwave should not be used to thaw beestings as it can cause coagulation of the proteins in the beestings.
In this process of reheating, hygiene must be at the fore as farmers must limit colostrum contamination for maximum immunoglobulin absorption.
The main point to retain quality in your colostrum is to measure the immunoglobulin levels; review factors influencing quality; maintain good hygiene; and feed or freeze quickly.
