In addition to Immunoglobulin G (IgG)*, which is essential for immunity and survival, whole colostrum provides antimicrobial factors, a range of hormones, growth factors, nutrients and even immune cells.
Antimicrobial factors and immune cells from cows’ help protect the calf against disease and play an important role in supporting the immune system of the calf¹.
Hormones and growth factors, such as insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF), are present in colostrum at levels much higher than found in the blood of the dairy cow, ewe or doe.
These support gut maturation and nutrient absorption, as well as stimulating cell proliferation and growth, and regulating energy metabolism.
Nutrients, including proteins and trace elements, are essential for an optimal start for any mammal.
Colostral fat provides a source of rapidly available energy and fuels the metabolism of brown fat to help the calf, lamb or kid generate heat and maintain their body temperature.
A high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids and a lower concentration of short-chain fatty acids, such as butyrate in colostral fat, are thought to play an important role in supporting the absorption of immunoglobulins² and help counteract stress in early life³.
Oligosaccharides, or complex sugar molecules found in whole colostrum, are thought to play an important role in helping to establish gut microflora and may enable the absorption of IgG⁴.
When choosing a colostrum replacer consider:
IgG concentration – is the concentration high enough to ensure that the calf, lamb or kid can consume enough within 12 hours of birth to achieve passive transfer? *
Fat source and concentration – high levels of colostral fat ensure an adequate energy supply while providing essential factors which fuel the metabolism of brown fat.
The presence of natural growth factors is important for early development, but colostrum replacers which are reconstituted from immunoglobulins, milk protein powders and butter fat do not contain these.
Adding a whole colostrum replacer, such as Launchpad18, to your rearing toolkit will support your animals’ health, growth and subsequent performance.
* Adequate intake of colostrum, specifically IgG, helps prevent infection in calves in the first four to six weeks of life. As a rule of thumb, within 12 hours after birth, 40 kg calves should receive a minimum of 100 g of IgG. Lambs and kids, at approximately 4 kg, require 10 g of IgG.
1. Korhonen, 1977: https://journal.fi/afs/article/view/71956
2. Hiltz and Laarman, 2019: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15555 ,
3. Wilms et al., 2022: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20880
4. Lorenz, 2021: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13620-021-00185-3