Feeding heat-treated colostrum to neonatal dairy heifers: Effects on growth characteristics and blood parameters

Abstract

Newborn Holstein heifer calves were studied to compare absorption of immunoglobulin G (IgG(1) and IgG(2)), total serum protein concentration, lymphocyte counts, health scores, growth, and starter intake after receiving unheated or heat-treated colostrum. First-milking colostrum was collected from Holstein cows and frozen at -20 degrees C to accumulate a large batch. After thawing and mixing, half of the colostrum was transferred into 1.89-L plastic containers and frozen at -20 degrees C until needed for feeding. The remaining half was heated at 60 degrees C for 30 min, transferred into 1.89-L plastic containers, and then frozen at -20 degrees C until needed for feeding. Forty heifer calves weighing > or =32 kg at birth were enrolled into 1 of 2 treatment groups before suckling occurred. For the first feeding, 3.8 L of colostrum was bottle fed by 1.5 to 2 h of age. For the second and third feedings, pasteurized whole milk at 5% of birth body weight (BW) was fed. Subsequently, calves received milk replacer containing 20% crude protein and 20% fat at 10% of birth BW/d until wk 5. Milk replacer was reduced to 1 feeding of 5% birth BW until weaning at 6 wk of age. Blood samples and growth data were collected through wk 8. Batch heat-treatment of colostrum at 60 degrees C for 30 min lowered colostrum bacteria concentration while maintaining colostral IgG concentration and viscosity. Calves fed heat-treated colostrum had significantly greater IgG concentrations at 24 h and greater apparent efficiency of IgG absorption (IgG = 23.4 g/L; apparent efficiency of absorption = 33.2%) compared with calves fed unheated colostrum (IgG = 19.6 g/L; apparent efficiency of absorption = 27.7%). There was no difference between treatment groups in growth measurements, calf starter intake, lymphocyte counts, or health scores.

Evaluation of factors associated with immunoglobulin G, fat, protein, and lactose concentrations in bovine colostrum and colostrum management practices in grassland-based dairy systems in Northern Ireland

“…Previous research found that feeding calves colostrum that was high in bacteria reduced the apparent efficiency of absorption and resulted in calves achieving a lower serum IgG concentration at 24 h after birth (Elizondo-Salazar and Heinrichs, 2009b). In agreement with others (Fecteau et al, 2002;Swan et al, 2007), we found extremely high levels of bacterial contamination in the colostrum samples.…”

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

“…Higher-quality batches of colostrum suffer a significantly greater magnitude of loss of IgG as compared with lower-or intermediate-quality batches of colostrum [68,71]. Calves fed pasteurized colostrum had significantly higher serum IgG concentrations, serum protein values, and/or a greater apparent efficiency of absorption, compared with calves fed unpasteurized colostrum [46,[72][73][74][75], probably explained by bacteria that bind free IgG in the gut lumen and block uptake and transport of IgG molecules across intestinal epithelial cells. Moreover, calves fed pasteurized colostrum had a significantly decreased risk for treatment for diarrhoea [46].…”

Perspectives on Immunoglobulins in Colostrum and Milk

“…In addition, bacteria inoculated into colostrum prior to a heat treatment of 60 °C for one hour are not detectable after the heat treatment [234]. On-farm heat treatment of colostrum (60 °C for one hour) results in higher concentrations of serum IgG and greater apparent absorption efficiency of IgG in new born calves consuming the treated colostrum than consumption of raw colostrum [235,236,237]. …”