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The effect of Fytera Lacteco on colostrum deficiency of beef calves

Important to know...

Figure 1: Growth factors present in cow colostrum for beef calves. Insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1 and 2) and transforming growth factors alpha and beta (TGF-A and B) are the two most growth factors in colostrum for beef calves are only found in cow colostrum.*

What are the benefits of cow colostrum for beef calves?

The first meal of colostrum that a calf gets is the most important meal of its life. To prevent colostrum deficiency in calves, a calf should drink at least 4 litres of good quality cow colostrum within the first 12 hours after birth. Cow colostrum is important for beef calves for a number of reasons.

Cow colostrum is required for maternal antibody transfer to beef calves
Cow colostrum contains bovine colostrum immunoglobulin that can be absorbed by the calf up to 12-24 hours after birth. Excellent maternal antibody transfer to beef calves is crucial because a calf is born without a so-called “immunological memory”. It therefore needs bovine colostrum immunoglobulin for protection against neonatal disease.

Bovine colostrum contains essential growth factors for beef calves
Bovine colostrum contains a number of growth factors1,2 that are essential for gut integrity of beef calves, development of the immune system and growth (see Figure 1). The two most important growth factors for beef calves, insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1 and 2) and transforming growth factors alpha and beta (TGF-A and B), are only found in bovine colostrum3. A beef calf therefore needs bovine colostrum to reach an optimal weaning weight.

Bovine colostrum is essential for thermoregulation of beef calves
Thermoregulation of young beef calves is suboptimal, so they need energy immediately after birth. Lipid stores in newborn calves are limited, they are sufficient for up to 15 hours of survival without feed4. Energy in bovine colostrum is mainly coming from protein and fat, less from lactose. Bovine colostrum contains 5,4 kJ ME/l compared to 2,8 kJ ME/l for cow milk. Beef calves that do not consume colostrum within the first few hours after birth will therefore become weak and lethargic, without a suckling reflex. Beef calves therefore need bovine colostrum to help them survive the first few hours after birth and to reduce the risk of developing colostrum deficiency of beef calves.

Colostrum deficiency in beef calves

30-50% of beef calves suffer from the colostrum deficiency of calves, with failure of maternal antibody transfer5,6,7,8,9 and depletion of body fat early in life. Colostrum deficiency of calves results in a higher incidence of disease and a higher mortality in the period between birth and weaning6,7. Weaning weight of beef calves suffering from colostrum deficiency can be reduced by 17 kg.

Reducing the risk of colostrum deficiency of calves by improving colostrum quality of beef cattle

Most beef calves nurse directly from their dams. This means there are two ways to improve energy supply and maternal antibody transfer to beef calves:

  • Ensure beef calves are lively and stand soon after calving and start drinking.
  • Optimize colostrum quality of beef cows
Fytera Lacteco is a natural feed additive for beef cattle containing a phytogenic complex. Fytera Lacteco reduces the risk of colostrum deficiency of beef calves. Trials10,11 have shown that feeding Fytera Lacteco to beef cows during the last 30 days before calving resulted in a significant improvement of bovine colostrum immunoglobulin transfer to beef calves and an increase in body weight at day 56 after birth and at weaning.

Trial 1 with Fytera Lacteco, carried out at South Dakota State University

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 colostrum quality, maternal antibody transfer and weight gain of beef calves were 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 (see Table 1).

Treatments P-value
Item Control Fytera Lacteco 250 mg Fytera Lacteco 500 mg
Fat % 3.29b 4.23a 4.17a 0.05
Protein % 7.80 7.33 8.24 0.36
MUN, mg/100g 4.51 5.84 4.58 0.96
Other solids % 4.71 4.60 4.52 0.16
Lactose % 3.66 3.57 3.48 0.21
Total colostrum, mI 1.441 1.281 1.683 0.48

Table 1: Milk solids, MUN and bovine colostrum volume in beef cows fed Fytera Lacteco, a phytogenic feed additive for beef cattle, at 250 or 500 mg/cow/day compared to controls fed the same diet. Different superscripts indicate significance.
Feeding Fytera Lacteco to beef cattle during the last 30 days of pregnancy resulted in an increase of bovine colostrum IgG and IgA levels in calf serum (see Figures 2 and 3).
Figure 2
Serum IgG levels at 24 hours post birth of beef calves from beef cows fed 500 mg Fytera Lacteco per cow/day or 250 mg Fytera Lacteco per cow/day during the last 30 days of pregnancy compared to control cows on the same diet without Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle (Trt: P= 0.22, Quadratic: p= 0.91).
Figure 3
Serum IgA levels at 24 hours post birth of beef calves from beef cows fed 500 mg Fytera Lacteco per cow/day or 250 mg Fytera Lacteco per cow/day during the last 30 days of pregnancy compared to control cows on the same diet without Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle (Trt: P= 0.11, Linear: P= 0.04, Quadratic: p= 0.74).


All calves from cows fed Fytera Lacteco at 500 mg/cow/day reached the threshold for successful maternal antibody transfer in beef cattle of 24 mg/ml of bovine colostrum IgG (see Figure 4). Feeding Fytera Lacteco to beef cattle also resulted in a significant increase in Average Daily Gain of the calves in the period up to 56 days after birth.
Figure 4
Serum IgG levels at 24 hours post birth of individual beef calves from beef cows fed 500 mg Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle per cow/day or 250 mg Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle per cow/day during the last 30 days of pregnancy compared to control cows on the same diet without Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle. Threshold for successful maternal antibody transfer in beef cattle was set at 24 mg/ml bovine colostrum IgG.

Trial 2 with Fytera Lacteco, carried out at Texas A&M

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. Colostrum quality, maternal antibody transfer of bovine colostrum immunoglobulin and weaning weight of beef calves were compared to a control group of 8 animals fed the same diet without Selko Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle.

Results
Bovine 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 5 and 6).

Figure 5
Bovine colostrum IgG levels at 24 hours post birth in colostrum from Aberdeen Angus beef heifers fed 500 mg Fytera Lacteco per heifer/day or 250 mg Fytera Lacteco per heifer/day during the last 30 days of pregnancy compared to control heifers on the same diet without Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle (Trt: P= 0.34, Linear: P= 0.15, Quadratic: p= 0.67).
Figure 6
Serum bovine colostrum IgG levels at 48 hours post birth of beef calves from Aberdeen Angus heifers fed 500 mg Fytera Lacteco per heifer/day or 250 mg Fytera Lacteco per heifer/day during the last 30 days of pregnancy compared to control heifers on the same diet without Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle (Trt: P= 0.29, Linear: P= 0.13, Quadratic: p= 0.71).



IgA levels in cow colostrum at 24 hours post partum and serum IgA of the calves at 48 hours post partum both increased after feeding Fytera Lacteco to the heifers (see Figures 7 and 8).

Figure 7
Cow colostrum IgA levels at 24 hours post birth in bovine colostrum from Aberdeen Angus heifers fed 500 mg Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle per heifer/day or 250 mg Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle per heifer/day during the last 30 days of pregnancy compared to control heifers on the same diet without Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle (Trt: P= 0.36, Linear: P= 0.23, Quadratic: p= 0.37).
Figure 8
Serum IgA levels at 48 hours post birth of beef calves from Aberdeen Angus heifers fed 500 mg Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle per heifer/day or 250 mg Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle per heifer/day during the last 30 days of pregnancy compared to control heifers on the same diet without Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle (Trt: P= 0.48, Linear: P= 0.84, Quadratic: p= 0.25).

Reducing the risk of colostrum deficiency of beef calves with Fytera Lacteco

The effects of Fytera Lacteco on colostrum quality and transfer of bovine colostrum immunoglobulin to beef calves was tested in two trials9,10 carried out by independent universities. Maternal antibody transfer in calves was significantly improved in both trials. It was concluded that feeding Fytera Lacteco will improve bovine colostrum quality and reduce the risk of colostrum deficiency of beef calves.

Download more research and documentation

You can access all of our documentation about Selko protocols, sustainable cattle farming and latest research insights about ruminants performance, health and fertility.

Independent research shows that Selko Fytera Lacteco can improve bovine colostrum quality and reduce the risk of calves developing the colostrum deficiency.

A trial carried out by the South Dakota Sate University demonstrated that feeding Fytera Lacteco to beef cows reduced colostrum deficiency in beef calve. Feeding Fytera Lacteco resulted in an improvement of maternal antibody transfer to beef calves and an increase fat level in colostrum and in an increase in weaning weight. Download the abstract that was presented at ASAS 2024.

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References about reducing the risk of colostrum deficiency in beef calves with Fytera Lacteco for beef cattle

  1. Arslan A., Kaplan M., Duman H., Bayraktar A., Ertürk M., Henrick B.M., Frese S.A., and S. Karav (2021). Bovine Colostrum and Its Potential for Human Health and Nutrition. Front. Nutr. 2021;8:651721. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.651721.
  2. Playford R.J. and M.J. Weiser (2021). Bovine Colostrum: Its Constituents and Uses. Nutrients. 2021;13:265. doi: 10.3390/nu13010265.
  3. Yalçıntaş, Y.M, Duman, H, Miranda López, J.M, Mondragón Portocarrero, A.C, Lombardo, M, Khallouki, F, Koch, W, Bordiga, M, El-Seedi, H, Raposo, A, Brito Alves, J.L, and S. Karav (2024). Revealing the Potency of Growth Factors in Bovine Colostrum, Nutrients16(14):2359. doi: 10.3390/nu16142359.
  4. Okamoto, M, Robinson, J.B, Christopherson, R.J, and B.A. Young (1986). Summit metabolism of newborn calves with and without colostrum feeding. Ca. J. Anim. Sci. 66:937-944.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.

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