Veterinary Services
Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health
March 2008
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Colostrum Feeding and
Management on U.S. Dairy
Operations, 1991-2007
In 2007, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)
National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS)
conducted the Dairy 2007 study. In all, 17 of the Nation’s
major dairy States* representing 79.5 percent of U.S.
dairy operations and 82.5 percent of U.S. dairy cows
participated in the study.
Dairy 2007 is NAHMS fourth national study of the
U.S. dairy industry. Previous studies were the 1991
National Dairy Heifer Evaluation Project (NDHEP), Dairy
1996, and Dairy 2002. As with the previous studies,
Dairy 2007 surveyed dairy producers about their
colostrum feeding and management practices. This
information sheet provides comparisons of these
practices from 1991 to 2007 across the four study
periods.
Importance of colostrum
All animals need maternal immunoglobulins to
protect them from disease, and most animals receive
immunoglobulins in utero, across the placenta.
Conversely, calves are born with no immunoglobulins
and, therefore, have inadequate immunity at birth. To
obtain immunoglobulins, calves rely on the ingestion of
colostrum. The process by which the cow passes
immunoglobulin to the calf via colostrum is called
passive transfer of immunity. Studies have shown that
failure of passive transfer increases calf morbidity and
mortality, reduces calf growth rate and efficiency, and
decreases first and second lactation milk production in
heifers.
Separating calves from dams
Separating calves from their dams is one way to
decrease the chance of disease transmission from cow
to calf. For example, separation could prevent a calf
from ingesting feces, bedding, or other material in the
environment contaminated by a cow infected with
Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis
(MAP), the