Nutritional and microbiological quality of bovine colostrum samples in Brazil

Abstract

-The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional and microbiological composition of colostrum samples collected from colostrum banks or newly calved cows on dairy farms. For this purpose, 66 colostrum samples from dairy cows were directly collected during the milking of newly calved cows or from colostrum storage bank. Samples were collected from commercial properties in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Paraná -Brazil, which were classified according to the total daily milk yield (MY). Even though average immunoglobulin concentrations were either adequate (79.7 and 51.7 mg/mL, for farms with MY>701 L/d and <200 L/d, respectively) or marginal (48.1 mg/mL for MY between 201-700 L/d), for only 48.4% of the colostrum samples, immunoglobulin concentrations were greater than 50 mg/mL. A variety of factors such as production system, animal breed, and time of sample collection can also affect the variables studied. In addition to emphasizing nutrition, good hygiene practices during the colostrum collection and storage process also deserve attention, since 24% of colostrum samples were below the microbial quality parameters. When nutritional and microbiological quality were simultaneously analyzed, only 22.6% of colostrum samples met the recommendations. Therefore, most of the calves in this region of Brazil are likely to present failure of passive immunity transfer and are exposed to pathogens when fed maternal colostrum.

Evaluation of microbiological quality of colostrum

“…Nowadays there is no control for microbiological quality of colostrum in Latvian dairy farms. However it can be a determinative factor in mortality rate of calves, as for passive immunity transfer, still bacteria can bind to free immunoglobulins in the intestinal lumen and block absorption of these molecules by enterocytes (Santos et al, 2017). For comprehensive assessment of Latvian colostrum quality, number of analysed samples should be increased and further research should be done.…”

“…Therefore, accurate measurement of Ig is essential to provide healthy growth of the younger generation on the dairy farms, which will be able to provide new-born calves with necessary Ig concentration (>50 mg mL -1 ) in colostrum (Lago et al, 2018). Quigley Microorganisms can bind to free immunoglobulins and block absorption of these molecules by enterocytes (Morrill et al, 2012;Santos et al, 2017). Last data reported about microbiological quality of colostrum from Latvian dairy herds is from 2008, when microorganisms count ranged from 4.3 log to 6.0 log CFU mL -1 (Gala ziņojums, 2008).…”

Characterization of the factors associated with the growth phase of dairy cattle in family farming

“…Although studies have shown that the absorption of immunoglobulins present in colostrum through the intestinal epithelium to the neonate's circulation occurs within the first 24 h after birth (WEAVER et al, 2000), the supply of transition milk may hinder the adhesion of bacteria to the intestinal wall, leading to reduction in incidences of diarrhea during the first weeks of life (COELHO, 2005), and economic advantage VIEIRA, 1998). In addition, neither of the farms evaluated the quality of colostrum and only one of them froze colostrum for emergencies, practices that are widely recommended for successful rearing of young animals (McGUIRK;COLLINS, 2004), especially in small dairy farms (<200 L/day), whose susceptibility to disease is higher due to the use of colostrum with low nutritional and microbiological quality (SANTOS et al, 2017). The results also showed that the majority (75%) of the family properties used natural suckling.…”

“…Milk production is distributed across almost all Brazilian regions, but the heterogeneity in the production process is striking, both in terms of production techniques, as well as herds and type of producers (STOCK et al, 2011). The state of Minas Gerais is the largest milk producer in Brazil, with approximately 8.97 billion tons of milk production per year, representing 26.68% of the national production (IBGE, 2016).…”

Passive immune transfer, health, pre-weaning performance, and metabolism of dairy calves fed a colostrum supplement associated with medium-quality maternal colostrum

“…In addition, 89% of producers in Brazil do not evaluate colostrum quality, and 98% do not monitor serum total protein of the calves (Santos and Bittar, 2015), increasing the risk for FPIT. Besides, in Brazil, only about 22% of colostrum offered to newborn calves have nutritional and microbiological quality considered adequate (Santos et al, 2017).…”