Agricultural supplier Wynnstay and independent dairy
consultant Owen Atkinson have teamed up to run a series
of Calf Signals training days, the first of their kind in the UK.
leave fresh colostrum sitting in
closing over the next 48 hours. Rate again.”
of closure depends on the level of Both experts agreed ideally calves the dairy, as it doubled in bacteria
protein entering the gut and so the should be removed within an hour every 20 minutes, but either to feed
the calf straight away or freeze it.
sooner the calf is fed, the quicker of birth after it had been licked.
Many farmers agreed colostrum
the gut will be stimulated to close. Ideally the cow should also be
bags were a worthwhile investment,
This is where difficulties occur.
milked as quickly as possible
Cheshire vet Owen Atkinson and
“If left to suckle on the cow, the
within the first few hours of birth with the colostrum defrosting
Wynnstay calf specialist Rebecca calf’s gut could close before the
and not to leave the cow until the quicker and being easier to store
than milk bottles or ice cream tubs.
Richards guided farmers through
main colostrum feed was given. It next milking, due to the dilution
Putting the bag of frozen colostrum
the six phases of heifer rearing,
takes a calf 20 minutes of continual effect.
in the dishwasher, running at
with top tips and experiences being sucking to consume four litres
60degC for one hour, was a
shared.
of colostrum, something which
Any cow giving eight to nine
defrosting tip given by one farmer.
To minimise stress on both cow
newborn calves can rarely do in the litres of colostrum in the first
and calf and to aid colostrum
first few hours of life as they are
milking was likely to have poor
If using colostrometers, Mr
management, both Mr Atkinson and still weak.
quality because of the dilution
Atkinson reminded farmers
Miss Richards advocated snatch
effect. Milking the cow before
calving.
“If removed straight away in to a
calving, especially if it was leaking readings could be distorted by
colostrum temperature. He said
When a calf is born the gut is
clean individual pen [even if this
colostrum was accepted practice.
‘open’, allowing colostrum antimeans colostrum intake is delayed Miss Richard said mobile milking they were designed to work with
luke warm colostrum, about
bodies to quickly enter the blood
slightly] giving the full four-litre
units were a great piece of kit to
22degC, so could be slightly
stream, but also means the calf
feed when the calf’s gut is still open invest in, allowing the cow to be
is susceptible to infection via the
will be more beneficial.
milked in the calving pen, reducing inaccurate if it was too hot or cold
milk. He did not, however advise
mouth.
“A four-litre colostrum feed takes stress and making the colostrum
Mr Atkinson said: “The gut ‘closes’ a long time to digest, even up to
harvest easier. The unit could also artificially cooling colostrum for
over a period of time, usually
20 hours, so, once fed, relax and
be properly cleaned and disinfected. this purpose.
‘open’ for the first six hours and
wait until the calf becomes hungry She also advised farmers not to
Some 15 dairy and beef farmers
attended the Calf Signals training
day, hosted by Geoff and John
Woodhouse, Bolden Farm,
Lancaster.