Colostrum is natures first and most powerful nourishment for a calf, setting them up for short- and long-term health and productivity. Notably, the fat that is in colostrum (besides the obvious antibodies) is ESSENTIAL in getting calves up, excited to be alive and thriving through to weaning and as a member of the herd.
Unfortunately, sometimes nature falls short. Heifers are notorious for poor quality or low quantity of colostrum, hot days discourage colostrum intake, twins can be slow to suck and compete for the same stock of colostrum and difficult calvings can mean weak suckle reflexes and stressed calves with a reduced ability to absorb the nutrients and bioactives from colostrum.
In these situations, management matters. Colostrum is the first feed and supports immune defense, gut development and tissue repair. In order to do so many amazing things, it is rich in:
- Antibodies
- Colostral fat
- Oligosaccharides
- Growth factors
- A slew of other bioactives
In situations when nature is unable to provide these essential nutrients and enzymes, a powdered colostrum must be available and FAST so these calves don’t miss out.
Powdered colostrum has been on the market for years and serves as a convenient tool for producers. The typical rule of thumb is, if you’re walking out feeling like you’ve gotten a good deal, it’s probably not worth feeding. After investing thousands of dollars in feed, genetics and infrastructure to get that calf on the ground and then putting in the labour to help that calf, mix the colostrum, feed and monitor (especially with the price of cattle staying high and strong) – you want to make sure they are getting the very best to provide a whole and complete immunity and fill their bellies with all the goodies they should’ve gotten from mom.
Labels are your best friend. Some products are advertised as whole bovine but are defatted, meaning the good valuable colostral fat designed to promote thermoregulation and stimulate the metabolism of calves’ brown fat in times of cold or heat stress in the first hours of life of a calf, is removed and replaced with alternatives like plant-based oils or milk fats. While this will look like the same % of fat, the fats themselves are not having the same biophysical response that the fat in colostrum has evolved for thousands of years alongside a calf does. The natural development of colostrum to promote a synergy between proteins, fats and bioactive compound is the perfect elixir for calves to achieve their potential. A concoction of manufactured products can simulate, but can never replace the power of natural whole bovine colostrum.
What’s the problem with alternative fat sources?
- Do not contain colostral bioactives evolved to support calves specifically in early calfhood
- Alters the natural composition of colostrum
- Reduces the authenticity and functional value
- When included in a “bovine colostrum” product, consumers may think they are receiving a whole colostrum with all the benefits when this is not the case
- True bovine colostrum works best when it is maintained as a whole product
Beyond this, colostral fat serves a pivotal role as a carrier of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), phospholipids and essential fatty acids which act to support immune modulation, gut barrier integrity and cellular communication. Removing and replacing it with cheaper components weakens the overall functional benefits of colostrum.
Nothing but a whole bovine colostrum replacer will do in this situation and SCCL’s line of products offers the power of maternal colostrum with convenience, safety and peace of mind.
Specifically, our Calf Choice Total - HiCal product brings the goodness of a robust antibody profile from over 1.4 million cows, proven safety, cleanliness and convenience with the highest proportion of bovine colostral fat that you can find on the market. Offering 100g of IgG per bag and over 20% colostral fat, calves are protected, thriving and better primed to reach their genetic potential.
View all of the SCCL colostrum products that we carry - HERE.
Written by Sydney Fortier MSc. Communications Specialist, SCCL
