Dairy Event and Livestock Show News
NEW COLOSTRUM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IMPROVES IMMUNITY
18 August 2010
A new integrated colostrum management system from Frank Wright Trouw Nutrition International will help to ensure calves get off to the best possible start, translating into better lifetime performance.
“The baby ruminant is the only animal born with no immunity so it is vital it receives an adequate feed of high quality colostrum within the first few hours of life to ensure a sufficient supply of immuno-glubulins,” explains technical adviser Amanda Sutton.
“Data from Europe and the USA indicates that as much as 50-60% of colostrum produced is inadequate to transfer high enough levels of immunity to the calf, while the management of high IgG frozen colostrum on farms is often poor. For example, too rapid thawing can damage immuno-globulins reducing the value of the colostrum.”
The new ColoQuick system, which has been proven in use on Danish dairy herds, is a total management system based on a tested colostrum bank which ensures all calves receive enough colostrum of adequate quality to provide for an effective immune system.
The system comprises a colostrometer, specially designed bags and filling equipment and a sophisticated water bath system.
Rather than feeding calves fresh colostrum from their dam, the system involves the use of guaranteed quantities of frozen colostrum which has been assessed for quality using the colostrometer. The cow is milked and her colostrum either frozen or discarded dependent on quality.
Using single use bags to ensure hygiene, four litres of suitable quality colostrum are frozen using a unique system which maximises the surface area to allow safe and effective thawing of the colostrum.
When a calf is born, the stored colostrum can be gently but quickly thawed using the specialised water bath and high surface-area warming cage and is ready to feed via a teat or oesophageal tube within 15 minutes.
“The ColoQuick system gives farmers total control over colostrum management and ensures calves get the essential immunity they require. Only suitable quality colostrum is used leaving nothing to chance, while the specially designed thawing cage with the large surface area provided by the bag ensures the colostrum is thawed rapidly without significant degradation of the immuno-globulin level.
“Research shows that calves that develop an effective immune system grow better and go on to be more productive when they calve down. The cost of ensuring quality colostrum is small compared to the costs of treating sick calves,” Ms Sutton concludes.
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For further information Frank Wright Trouw Nutrition Technical Dept
? 01335-341102
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