Study of the Effects of Modified Colostrum Feeding Method on Passive Transfer Success in New-born Calves and Comparison with the Classical Method

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate a new colostrum feeding protocol in terms of passive transfer success. In the study, 70 calves each from two different farms with similar characteristics except colostrum feeding protocols were used. According to the modified method, new-born calves were given as much colostrum as the calf could drink, once every 3 hours, a total of 5 times in the first 12 hours. After 12 hours, as in the classical method, 2.5 liters of colostrum was given to the calves in the morning and evening, and then the calves were fed with milk. The amount of colostrum consumed by the calves fed with the modified method at each meal was recorded, and the blood IgG levels were measured using the ELISA method. In the first 5 feedings made in the modified method, the calves drank an average of 5.51 L colostrum in the first 12-hour period, 2.52 L in the first feeding, 0.86 L in the second feeding, 0.52 L in the third feeding, 0.98 L in the fourth feeding, and 0.63 L in the fifth feeding, respectively. While the mean blood IgG level of the calves in the modified colostral feeding group was 37.33 mg/ml, it was measured as 31.04 mg/ml in the classical colostral feeding group. As a result, with this difference made in the colostrum feeding method, the blood IgG levels of the calves reached a significantly higher level compared to the classical method (p˂0.05).