To prevent Colostrum Deficiency, beef calves need good quality cow colostrum. Generally, “good” colostrum has an IgG concentration ≥50 mg/ mL^1,2. Since the most prevalent immunoglobulin in cow colostrum is IgG, the bovine colostrum IgG concentration is often measured, rather than the total bovine colostrum immunoglobulin concentration of cow colostrum. A higher IgG concentration in colostrum leads to a higher concentration of IgG in the serum of calves³. Because IgG levels in colostrum are easy to measure, it has become an important parameter to measure the quality of cow colostrum. Bovine colostrum is however important for a number of other reasons.

Bovine colostrum is important for beef calves because it contains essential growth factors
Bovine colostrum contains a number of growth factors^1,2 that are essential for development of the immune system, for gut integrity and for growth of beef calves (see Figure 1). The two most important growth factors in bovine colostrum are insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1 and 2) and transforming growth factors alpha and beta (TGF-A and B). These growth factors can only be found in bovine colostrum³. To reach an optimal weaning weight, a beef calf needs the growth factors in bovine colostrum.

Beef calves need the energy in cow colostrum for thermoregulation
Newborn calves have limited lipid stores of so-called "brown fat". Body fat as a percentage of total bodyweight is less than 3% (see Figure 2). When brown fat is being metabolised, a lot of heat will be produced , enabling the neonatal calf to keep its body temperature at the right level. Neonatal calves can survive for up to 15 hours without being fed colostrum⁴. The energy level in bovine colostrum is largely depending on fat and protein content. Colostrum from beef cows contains around 5,4 kJ ME/l, which is twice the amount of energy in milk.

If beef calves do not consume enough energy within the first few hours after birth, there brown fat reserves will be depleted and their body temperature will go down. As a result, they will become weak and lethargic, and they will lose their suckling reflex and stop drinking. To survive the first few hours after birth and to reduce the risk of developing Colostrum Deficiency, beef calves therefore need to consume sufficient amounts of cow colostrum containing sufficient levels of fat and protein.

30-50% of beef calves consume insufficient levels of cow colostrum. This increases the risk of Colostrum Deficiency of calves^5,6,7,8,9. As a result of Colostrum Deficiency, calves experience a higher incidence of neonatal calf disease and a higher mortality and their weaning weight will be significantly lower^6,7. Colostrum Deficiency of calves can reduce weaning weight by 17 kg.

The majority of calves in a cow-calf operation nurse directly from their dams. This means it isn't easy to increase the amount of bovine colostrum a calf consumes, but fortunately, there is an easy way to improve the quality.

Fytera Lacteco is a phytogenic complex that can be fed to beef cattle in a cow-calf operation during the last phase of gestation. Fytera Lacteco is easy to use, it can be included in a farm mineral, so it does not require a change in management of the cows in a cow-calf operation.

Trials^10,11 have shown that feeding Fytera Lacteco to beef cows during the last 30 days before calving resulted in an increase in fat level of cow colostrum(see Table 1), and increase of bovine colostrum IgG and IgA levels in cow colostrum, an increase of serum IgG and IgA levels in calves (see Figures 3 and 4) and an increase of weaning weight.

Table 1: Volume of cow colostrum, solids in cow colostrum and MUN levels in cow colostrum of beef cows fed Fytera Lacteco, a phytogenic feed additive for beef cattle, at 250 or 500 mg/cow/day compared to cows fed the same ration without Fytera Lacteco. Different superscripts indicate significance.

Calves need sufficient amounts of good quality cow colostrum, containing high levels of bovine colostrum immunoglobulin, sufficient energy to support thermoregulation during the first few hours of their lives and essential growth factors they need for optimal development. Calves that do not get enough cow colostrum are at risk to develop Colostrum Deficiency of beef calves. Feeding Fytera Lacteco is easy and offers a solution that will support health and growth of your calves. Feeding Fytera Lacteco comes with an excellent return on investment.