Practical ideas and answers to calf health and calf scours prevention.

By Rebekah Mathews, M.S.

Providing enough maternal colostrum for every calf isn’t always possible. In those cases, colostrum replacers are necessary to supply crucial vitamins, fat, protein, and more. Yet colostrum replacers vary in quality, and while they meet the “minimum” nutrient needs of a newborn calf, they can lack essential components the calf is expecting.

The current minimum recommended IgG intake for a newborn calf is 200 g (DCHA Gold Standards, 2026). Many colostrum replacers also supply high levels of fat and protein through various ingredients, which is certainly important for a calf that needs a few nutrient-dense meals after birth. To keep replacers affordable, manufacturers use ingredients that meet these macronutrient requirements. Here is what those products may lack.

Bioactive Components

Bioactive: having an effect on a living organism (Merriam-Webster)

• Lactoferrin – binds iron, depriving pathogens of it
• Growth factors – promote gut maturation
• Enzymes – provide antiviral and antibacterial properties
• Cytokines – modulate the immune response, such as recruiting white blood cells to infection sites
• Hormones – support development of the gut, and possibly other systems
• And MUCH more!

So What?

Sounds nice – but Rebekah, you already agreed there are situations outside our control where we need to rely on colostrum replacer!

Yup, I sure did. And please keep using it! First Defense products are rich in bovine bioactives and offer what the calf is asking for – and needs – by providing the crucial components calves have evolved to require. This is valuable for all calves: those fed colostrum from cows AND those receiving colostrum replacer. When every calf gets First Defense, with its bioactives AND specific pathogen protection, it receives what its new system requires. How would better preparing calves for life improve your operation?

References

A Comprehensive Review of Bovine Colostrum Components and Selected Aspects Regarding Their Impact on Neonatal Calf Physiology
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11010951