• They need bovine colostrum immunoglobulin to deal with neonatal infections
• They need energy from colostrum to maintain their body temperature
• Bovine colostrum contains several growth factors that are essential for the development of the immune system and for weight gain of beef calves
  
  Between 30-50% of beef calves in a cow-calf operation^1,2,3,4,5 suffer from failure of maternal antibody transfer, resulting in:
• An increase in neonatal disease and preweaning mortality ^2,3
• A reduction in weaning weight of up to 17 kg^2,3 .
  
  It is uncommon for a beef farmer in a cow-calf operation to:

• Measure cow colostrum quality
• Nurse beef calves immediately after calving and feed them colostrum from a bottle
• Use colostrum replacers or colostrum from another animal or farm to improve maternal antibody transfer to beef calves

Material and methods
Starting 30 days before the expected calving date, two groups of 8 Aberdeen Angus cows, at an age of 3 years were fed 250 or 500 mg/cow/day of Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle and compared to a control group of 7 animals.

Results
There was a significant increase in fat level of the colostrum from cows fed Fytera Lacteco and an increase of IgA and IgG in the calves (see Figures 1 and 2).

Figure 1
Serum IgG levels at 24 hours post birth of beef calves from beef cows fed 500 mg Selko Fytera Lacteco per cow/day or 250 mg Selko Fytera Lacteco per cow/day during the last 30 days of pregnancy compared to control cows on the same diet without Selko Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle (Trt: p= 0.22, Quadratic: p= 0.91).

Figure 2
Serum IgA levels at 24 hours post birth of beef calves from beef cows fed 500 mg Selko Fytera Lacteco per cow/day or 250 mg Selko Fytera Lacteco per cow/day during the last 30 days of pregnancy compared to control cows on the same diet without Selko Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle (Trt: p= 0.11, Linear: p = 0.04, Quadratic: p= 0.74).

Material and methods
Two groups of 8 Aberdeen Angus heifers were fed 250 or 500 mg/cow/day of Fytera Lacteco during the last 30 days of pregnancy. Maternal antibody transfer was compared to a control group of 8 animals fed the same diet without Selko Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle.

Results
Colostrum IgG levels at 24 hours after calving and serum IgG of the calves at 48 hours after calving both increased as a result of feeding Fytera Lacteco to beef cows (see Figures 3 and 4).

Figure 3
Cow colostrum IgG levels at 24 hours post birth in colostrum from Aberdeen Angus beef heifers fed 500 mg Selko Fytera Lacteco per heifer/day or 250 mg Selko Fytera Lacteco per heifer/day during the last 30 days of pregnancy compared to control heifers on the same diet without Selko Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle (Trt: p= 0.34, Linear: p = 0.15, Quadratic: p= 0.67).

Figure 4
Serum IgG levels at 48 hours post birth of beef calves from Aberdeen Angus heifers fed 500 mg Selko Fytera Lacteco per heifer/day or 250 mg Selko Fytera Lacteco per heifer/day during the last 30 days of pregnancy compared to control heifers on the same diet without Selko Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle (Trt: p= 0.29, Linear: p = 0.13, Quadratic: p= 0.71).

By optimising nutrition and body condition score of beef cows and by reducing stress during pregnancy, producers can significantly improve colostrum quality in beef cows. These efforts reduce the risk of colostrum deficiency in beef calves, which improves vitality, immunity and long-term health and performance.

Selko Fytera Lacteco is a phytogenic feed additive for beef cattle. It is a natural product that can assist in improving colostrum quality of beef cows. Selko Fytera Lacteco can be included in a programme to reduce the risk of colostrum deficiency. Feeding Selko Fytera Lacteco to beef cattle increases the amount of energy and maternal antibody levels in cow colostrum, and can thus help you to reduce the risk of failure of maternal antibody transfer to beef calves.

1. Perino, L.J. and T.E. Wittum (1995). Passive immune transfer: Its importance and management in cattle. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice, 11(1), 105-120.

2. Perino, L.J, Wittum, T.E., Ross, G.S, Sutherland, R.J. and N.E. Woollen (1996). Bovine Proc. American Association of Bovine Practitioners, 28:102-110.

3. Waldner, C.L., and L.B. Rosengren (2009). Factors associated with serum immunoglobulin levels in beef calves from Alberta and Saskatchewan and their association with calfhood disease and mortality. Can. Vet. J, 50(3), 275-281.

4. Dewell, R.D., Hungerford, L.L., Keen, J.E., Laegreid, W.W, Dee Griffin, D., Rupp, G.P. and D.M. Grotelueschen (2006). Association of neonatal serum immunoglobulin G1 concentration with health and performance in beef calves. J. Am, Vet. Med. Assoc, 228(6), 914-921.

5. McGuire T.C, Pfeiffer N.E, Weikel J.M. and R.C. Bartsch (1976). Failure of colostral immunoglobulin transfer in calves dying from infectious disease. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc, 69:713-718.

6. Jardon, G.H., Kovarna, M.R., Moening, K.M., Heldt, J.S, Wall, E. and A.C.B. Menezes (2025).Effects of a botanical supplement pre- and post-calving on concentrations of immunoglobulins in colostrum and milk, and passive transfer of immunity. ASAS Midwest Section Meeting, March 12-19.

7. Jardon, G.H., Kovarna, M.R., Moening, K.M., Brandner, A.K., Werner, H.R., Heldt, J.S. and A.C.B. Menezes (2023). Effects of a phytogenic supplement pre- and post-calving on colostrum yield and composition, and cow-calf performance, J. Anim. Sci Vol. 101, Suppl. S3, 504.