Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-2lccl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-28T21:33:03.629Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Risk factors for poor colostrum quality and failure of passive transfer in Scottish dairy calves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 August 2021

Alexandra Haggerty ,
Colin Mason ,
Kathryn Ellis  and
Katharine Denholm
Alexandra Haggerty
Affiliation:
Scottish Centre for Production Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, GlasgowG61 1QH, UK
Colin Mason
Affiliation:
Scotland's Rural College, DumfriesDG1 1DX, UK
Kathryn Ellis
Affiliation:
Scottish Centre for Production Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, GlasgowG61 1QH, UK
Katharine Denholm*
Affiliation:
Scottish Centre for Production Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, GlasgowG61 1QH, UK
*
Author for correspondence: Katharine Denholm, Email: katie.denholm@glasgow.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Failure of passive transfer (FPT) has health, welfare and economic implications for calves. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration of 370 dairy calf serum samples from 38 Scottish dairy farms was measured via radial immunodiffusion (RID) to determine FPT prevalence. IgG concentration, total bacteria count (TBC) and total coliform count (TCC) of 252 colostrum samples were also measured. A questionnaire was completed at farm enrollment to investigate risk factors for FPT and poor colostrum quality at farm-level. Multivariable mixed effect logistic and linear regressions were carried out to determine significant risk factors for FPT and colostrum quality. Prevalence of FPT at calf level was determined to be 14.05%. Of 252 colostrum samples, 111 (44.05%) failed to meet Brix thresholds for colostrum quality. Of these 28 and 38 samples also exceeded TBC and TCC thresholds, respectively. Increased time between parturition and colostrum harvesting was numerically (non-significantly) associated with a colostrum Brix result <22%, and increased time spent in a bucket prior to feeding or storing was significantly associated with high TBC (≥100 000 cfu/ml and also ≥10 000 cfu/ml). High TBC values in colostrum were significantly associated with lower serum IgG concentrations. This study highlights associations between colostrum quality and FPT in dairy calves as well as potential risk factors for reduced colostrum quality; recommending some simple steps producers can take to maximise colostrum quality on farm.

Keywords

Colostrumdairy calvesFPTrisk factors
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 88 , Issue 3 , August 2021 , pp. 337 - 342
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Hannah Dairy Research Foundation

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alrabadi, N (2015) The effect of freezing on different bacterial counts in raw milk. International Journal of Biology 7, 9–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buczinski, S and Vandeweerd, J (2016) Diagnostic accuracy of refractometry for assessing bovine colostrum quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Dairy Science 99, 7381–7394.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chigerwe, M, Tyler, J, Schultz, L, Middleton, J, Steevens, B and Spain, J (2008) Effect of colostrum administration by use of oroesophageal intubation on serum IgG concentrations in Holstein bull calves. American Journal of Veterinary Research 69, 1158–1163.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cuttance, E, Mason, W, Laven, R, McDermott, J and Phyn, C (2017) Prevalence and calf level risk factors for failure of passive transfer in dairy calves in New Zealand. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 65, 297–304.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Deelen, S, Ollivett, T, Haines, D and Leslie, K (2014) Evaluation of a Brix refractometer to estimate serum immunoglobulin G concentration in neonatal dairy calves. Journal of Dairy Science 97, 3838–3844.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DeNise, S, Robison, J, Stott, G and Armstrong, D (1989) Effects of passive immunity on subsequent production in dairy heifers. Journal of Dairy Science 72, 552–554.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Donahue, M, Godden, S, Bey, R, Wells, S, Oakes, J, Sreevatsan, S, Stabel, J and Fetrow, J (2012) Heat treatment of colostrum on commercial dairy farms decreases colostrum microbial counts while maintaining colostrum immunoglobulin G concentrations. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 2697–2702.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elsohaby, I, McClure, J, Cameron, M, Heider, L and Keefe, G (2017) Rapid assessment of bovine colostrum quality: how reliable are transmission infrared spectroscopy and digital and optical refractometers? Journal of Dairy Science 100, 1427–1435.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Faber, S, Faber, N, McCauley, T and Ax, R (2005) Case study: effects of colostrum ingestion on lactational performance. The Professional Animal Scientist 21, 420–425.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fecteau, G, Baillargeon, P, Higgins, R, Paré, J and Fortin, M (2002) Bacterial contamination of colostrum fed to newborn calves in Québec dairy herds. The Canadian Veterinary Journal 43, 523–527.Google ScholarPubMed
Ginn, R, Packard, V and Fox, T (1984) Evaluation of the 3 M dry medium culture plate (Petrifilm™ SM) method for determining numbers of bacteria in raw milk. Journal of Food Protection 47, 753–755.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Godden, S, Smolenski, D, Donahue, M, Oakes, J, Bey, R, Wells, S, Sreevatsan, S, Stabel, J and Fetrow, J (2012) Heat-treated colostrum and reduced morbidity in preweaned dairy calves: results of a randomized trial and examination of mechanisms of effectiveness. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 4029–4040.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Godden, S, Lombard, J and Woolums, A (2019) Colostrum management for dairy calves. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice 35, 535–556.Google ScholarPubMed
Hyde, R, Green, M, Hudson, C and Down, P (2020) Quantitative analysis of colostrum bacteriology on British dairy farms. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 1–12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, KF, Chancellor, N, Burn, CC and Wathes, DC (2017) Prospective cohort study to assess rates of contagious disease in pre-weaned UK dairy heifers: management practices, passive transfer of immunity and associated calf health. Veterinary Record Open Access 10, 1–10.Google Scholar
MacFarlane, J, Grove-White, D, Royal, M and Smith, R (2015) Identification and quantification of factors affecting neonatal immunological transfer in dairy calves in the UK. Veterinary Record 176, 625.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maunsell, F, Morin, D, Constable, P, Hurley, W, McCoy, G, Kakoma, I and Isaacson, R (1998) Effects of mastitis on the volume and composition of colostrum produced by Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 81, 1291–1299.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McGuirk, S and Collins, M (2004) Managing the production, storage and delivery of colostrum. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice 20, 593–603.Google ScholarPubMed
Moore, M, Tyler, J, Chigerwe, M, Dawes, M and Middleton, J (2005) Effect of delayed colostrum collection on colostral IgG concentration in dairy cows. Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association 226, 1375–1377.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morin, D, Nelson, S, Reid, E, Nagy, D, Dahl, G and Constable, P (2010) Effect of colostral volume, interval between calving and first milking, and photoperiod on colostral IgG concentrations in dairy cows. Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association 237, 420–428.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morrill, K, Conrad, E, Lago, A, Campbell, J, Quigley, J and Tyler, H (2012) Nationwide evaluation of quality and composition of colostrum on dairy farms in the United States. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 3997–4005.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Patel, S, Gibbons, J and Wathes, D (2014) Ensuring optimal colostrum transfer to newborn dairy calves. Cattle Practice 22, 95.Google Scholar
Phipps, A, Beggs, D, Murray, A, Mansell, P, Stevenson, M and Pyman, M (2016) Survey of bovine colostrum quality and hygiene on northern Victorian dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science 99, 8981–8990.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reschke, C, Schelling, E, Michel, A, Remy-Wohlfender, F and Meylan, M (2017) Factors associated with colostrum quality and effects on serum gamma globulin concentrations of calves in Swiss dairy herds. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 31, 1563–1571.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Staley, T and Bush, L (1985) Receptor mechanisms of the neonatal intestine and their relationship to immunoglobulin absorption and disease. Journal of Dairy Science 68, 184–205.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stewart, S, Godden, S, Bey, R, Rapnicki, P, Fetrow, J, Farnsworth, R, Scanlon, M, Arnold, Y, Clow, L, Mueller, K and Ferrouillet, C (2005) Preventing bacterial contamination and proliferation during the harvest, storage, and feeding of fresh bovine colostrum. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 2571–2578.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyler, J, Hancock, D, Parish, S, Rea, D, Besser, T, Sanders, S and Wilson, L (1996) Evaluation of 3 assays for failure of passive transfer in calves. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 10, 304–307.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyler, JW, Parish, SM, Besser, TE, Van Metre, DC, Barrington, GM and Middleton, J (1999) Detection of low serum immunoglobulin concentrations in clinically ill calves. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 13, 40–43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Urie, N, Lombard, J, Shivley, C, Kopral, C, Adams, A, Earleywine, T, Olson, J and Garry, F (2018) Preweaned heifer management on US dairy operations: part I. Descriptive characteristics of preweaned heifer raising practices. Journal of Dairy Science 101, 9168–9184.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Supplementary material: PDF

Haggerty et al. supplementary material

Haggerty et al. supplementary material

Download Haggerty et al. supplementary material(PDF)
PDF 218.1 KB