There has been a lot of new research published in the past five years about colostrum and its role in the newborn’s survival and health, writes Kalyn Waters. Despite cow-calf experiences, she was surprised to learn three new things about colostrum:
- Timing matters on the cow’s side, too, as the chemical composition of colostrum in the udder changes by the hour.
- Colostrum quality is heritable with beef breeds consistently producing better colostrum than dairy cattle.
- In addition to the immunoglobulins that aid in immunity, colostrum has a group of proteins that are non-specific antibiotic agents and has germicidal properties that protect the calf from infection and disease in its first few days of life. Plus, being high in lactose, colostrum delivers a key carbohydrate in newborn organ function.
Source: Progressive Cattle, January 28, 2025. Link.
INSIGHTS: Waters’ article gives animal health pros an updated reason to discuss the value of colostrum with producers.
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