A randomized controlled trial on preweaning morbidity, growth and mortality in Holstein heifers fed a lacteal-derived colostrum replacer or pooled maternal colostrum

Abstract

BackgroundThe objective of this randomized controlled trial was to determine the effect of feeding a commercial lacteal-derived colostrum replacer (CR) or pooled maternal colostrum (MC) on preweaning morbidity, growth and mortality in Holstein heifer calves. A total of 568 calves were randomly assigned to be fed either 3.8 L of pooled MC or two doses (200 g IgG) of a CR. Calves were monitored daily for preweaning morbidity until weaning at 60 d old. Birth and weaning weights were measured to estimate growth rates.ResultsCalves fed CR were significantly less likely to be affected with a diarrhea event (OR = 0.58; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.88; P value = 0.011) and had a higher rate of daily weight gain (0.051 kg/day; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.08; P value <0.001) compared to calves fed pooled MC. Use of lacteal-derived colostrum replacer was not significantly associated with respiratory disease (OR = 1.01; 95% CI 0.67 to 1.51; P value = 0.974 ), omphalitis (OR = 0.93; 95% CI 0.06 to 14.86; P value = 0.956), or mortality (HR = 0.71; 95% CI 0.27 to 1.92; P value = 0.505) in the study calves.ConclusionsThe lacteal-derived CR fed at the study dose was a viable colostrum alternative in the event of poor quality pooled MC for the prevention of preweaning diarrhea and resulted in higher growth rates in comparison to calves fed pooled MC in the study herd.

Advances in prevention and therapy of neonatal dairy calf diarrhoea: a systematical review with emphasis on colostrum management and fluid therapy

“…Colostrum replacement products have a highly variable performance [49,[58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65], and the herd veterinarian is advised to consult results of peer-reviewed controlled trials for separate products. Colostrum supplemented in milk replacer during the first 2 weeks of life (10 g IgG, bid) reduces NCD rates because of the intestinal activity of colostral antibodies and epithelial growth promoting substances [66].…”

Effect of Three Colostrum Diets on Passive Transfer of Immunity and Preweaning Health in Calves on a California Dairy following Colostrum Management Training

“…Similarly, colostrum-derived replacers with high doses of IgG (>170 g IgG) were shown to prevent FPT; however, some but not all colostrum-derived replacers and supplements with lower doses of IgG also prevented FPT [ 8 , 12 , 25 , 27 – 31 ]. Studies of plasma-derived replacers have shown either no difference or an increased risk of health events in calves compared to colostrum, whereas studies of colostrum-derived replacers have shown both a decreased and increased risk of health events in calves compared to colostrum [ 23 , 25 , 26 , 32 ]. Feeding pooled colostrum in conjunction with a CDR has not been evaluated and could be an effective approach to address colostrum shortages on dairies.…”

Eficacia de un sustituto de calostro sobre la transferencia de inmunidad pasiva en terneras

“…Una falla en la TIP se ha correlacionado con una mayor incidencia de enfermedades, mayor mortalidad, mayor edad para alcanzar el peso a servicio y un potencial menor producción de leche durante la primera lactancia (DeNise et al, 1989;Furman-Fratczak et al, 2011;Aly et al, 2013).…”

“…Con respecto al estado de salud de los animales, hay estudios que reportan una asociación entre la concentración sérica de IgG y la incidencia de enfermedades. Se ha visto una menor incidencia de diarreas cuando se alimentó un sustituto de calostro (Aly et al, 2013); sin embargo, Priestley et al (2013) indicaron que alimentar con sustituto de calostro resultó en una morbilidad mayor.…”

“…En un estudio realizado en los Estados Unidos, un número significativamente mayor de terneras alimentadas con calostro materno (70 %) presentaron una falla en la transferencia de inmunidad pasiva en comparación con terneras que recibieron sustituto de calostro (11 %) (Pithua et al, 2013). En otros estudios terneras que recibieron calostro materno fueron más propensas a ser tratadas con antibióticos o experimentaron mayores episodios de diarrea comparado con animales que recibieron sustituto de calostro (Aly et al, 2013) y esto se debe principalmente a que patógenos específicos como Salmonella sp., Eschericia coli, Mycoplasma sp, entre otros, frecuentemente se encuentran en el calostro de vacas recién paridas o intermitentemente durante el periodo del periparto (Godden et al, 2012).…”