Colostrum: Properties, Functions, and Importance. The Relationship Between the Immunoglobulin Concentration in Holstein Colostrum and the Total Senlm Protein in Holstein Heifer Calves

This experiment was designed to determine the effects of Colostrometer tested colostrum on the total serum protein (TP) of Holstein heifer calves. The experiment was performed on a working dairy where 40 50% of the heifer calves had been dying because of poor colostrum quality. For three months, May 12, 1999 through August 10, 1999, the heifer calves born were fed 4 L of first colostrum through an esophageal tube feeder within 8 hours of age. The calves were given injections of 1/2 cc BoSe, I cc Vitamins A&D complex and 2 cc Nasolgen with the first feeding. Colostrum was tested with a Colostrometer or Hydrometer between I and 3 hours of age and between 72 76° Fahrenheit for immunoglobulin (Ig) concentration. After day I of age and before 7 days of age, 3 cc of blood were drawn from the calves necks' and placed into red topped tubes for TP testing with refractometer techniques. The final results indicated that using colostrum tested to have a higher Ig concentration with the Colostrometer improved the TP of tested calves. However, the data did not show a strong relationship between the two variables as both human error and external factors were involved. Introduction: It is known that if neonatal calves do not receive colostrum quickly or in great enough quantities, health problems are seen with disease and/or diarrhea and sometimes have irreversible effects (5, 7, 8,9,12,13,14,17 and 22 25). Colostrum contains more fat, protein, vitamins and minerals (except iron) than mid-lactation milk and it is this composition that makes colostrum ingestion upon birth so important to neonatal calves (I I, 14). The larger volume of fat prov ides energy required for a newborn calf to survive and the vitamins and minerals are important co­ factors for future digestion and nutrient absorption, but it is the different protein components that are the most important constituent in the first milk (I I). Colostrum not only contains the protein casein found in mid-lactation milk, but protein macromolecules known as immunoglobulins (Jg) (12, 14 and 15). These immunoglobul ins are absorbed without degradation through the small intestinal mucosel cells by pinocytosis in a process that ceases after either a finite number of protein molecules have been transported, or a limited amount of time passes (21). Many studies and experiments have been performed to determine the amount of colostrum required by calves