dairy cow colostrum

Hi Brian if this is true, ''Similarly, results from a recent U.S. study reported bacterial results from the colostrum on 12 dairy farms. In that study, the average total plate count was 16.1 million CFU/mL, and the total coliform count was 2.7 million CFU/mL, indicating that dairy farmers should pay more attention to colostrum cleanliness''. What do you think the situation is in the developing world?

Dr.Munene Nderi
Chuka University College
Chuka-Kenya.

Interesting article about Colostrum for the Dairy Calf. Just as I know, in Shanghai, most farms seldom care about colostrum cleanliness. In fact, we buy a lot equipment to feed calves, however the workers know little about how to use it efficacious, even many never use them. Why this happened? I thought, maybe because the design of cowhouse, or some of the equipments was not very fuctional.

Mr. Nderi, I represent an American firm that has an interest in colostrum based products for both bovine and porcine neonates. It appears to us that colostrum has some benefits beyond passive immunity for the new born. Certain proteins seem to enhance appetite and encourage the young to seek nourishment. Other proteins may even have some analgesic attributes that just make the new born critter feel better and may help to attenuate body temperature since new the born may have difficulty with temperature regulation until a bit more maturity occurs. Conventional thinking suggest that colostrum should be administered very soon after birth, perhaps up to 24 hours at which time gut closure is occurring at a very rapid rate. This limits the time for absorption of immunoglobulins which are very important to establishing passive immunity. There are some indications in our applications that there are colostrum benefits that occur inside the lumen of the small intestine even after gut closure is complete. We suspend the colostrum products in a plant essential oils that aid in sanitation gaps and reduce pathogenic activity in the gut. DEL DAVIS, Ph.D. Ralco Nutrition, Inc. Marshall, MN. Skype: deli.davis

Dear,

Good article of Colostrum for the Dairy Calf. I had an oppurtunity to see a Doctoral thesis for which British Milk Marketing Board funded. He had selected newborn male calves for this study and had selected the stomoch and deodenum and jejunum of the intestine. From that study of a new born bovine calf has large numbers of MACROPORES and MICROPORES are present at birth. Few calves were slaughtered immediately after birth and few others were slaughtered at different intervals without feeding colostrum as controls. With each control group the experimental group were fed colostrum at different intervals after birth. 

He noticed the number of MACROPORES and MICROPORES reduces by each second whether colostrum fed or not. But after feeding colostrum the reduction in the number of MACROPORES and MICROPORES is much faster that of non fed calves at same interval after birth. The electron microscopic photographs has clearly indicated macromolecules [Growth hormone is a macro molecule] enetreing through the MACROPORES.

It is well known the udder which is large at dry off becomes small in few days and again grows prior to calving due to multiplication of the secretary cells of the udder under the influence of growth hormone then estrogens and progesterone Udder development can start even one month prior to calving in high yeilders and it can be as short as 7 days in poor producers.

The composition of colostrum has clearly shown to have 14 micrograms of Growth hormone per liter of colostrum [Intas Polivet Vol10 issue II Page 144 ] gives the other componets of colostrum. Several factors are their whose exact role I am not aware.

Practically at the Buffalo Research Project at Dharwad by feeding colostrum within 15 minutes after birth of a calf between 500 ml to 1500ml has preponed the maturity age by 6 to 8 months when compared to earlier years where the colostrum was fed after 20 to 30 minutes after the birth of a calf. Similar reports were made from the Buffalo Research Station, ANAND with SURTHI buffaloes by Dr Janakiraman, then Director of that research station.

V N Viswanatha Reddy,
Former Professor, Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics,
Veterinary College,
Bangalore 560 024

sir V.Reddy please also provide me the copy of this thesis
Regards,