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A description of colostrum quality on Scottish dairy farms and risk factors associated with poor colostrum quality
Haggerty, A.; Mason, C.; Ellis, K...
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Objectives: Poor colostrum quality is a major risk factor for failure of passive transfer (FPT) in neonatal dairy calves. FPT contributes to high incidences of calf morbidity and mortality as well as more long-term detrimental effects on productivity (DeNise et al., 1989; Tyler et al., 1999; Faber et al., 2005). The two main measures of colostrum quality are immunoglobulin (IgG) concentration and bacterial contamination (total bacteria counts (TBC) and coliform counts (TCC)). Brix refractometry measures the total solids in colostrum by refraction of light and is highly correlated with IgG concentration (a threshold of 22% is used to indicate adequate quality) (Quigley et al., 2013; Deelen et al., 2014). US industry guidelines for bacterial contamination of colostrum state that TBC should not exceed 100,00CFU/ml and TCC should not exceed 10,000CFU/ml (McGuirk and Collins, 2004). The objectives of this study were to:
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measure IgG concentration and bacterial contamination of colostrum at point of feeding to neonatal dairy calves.
- establish risk factors for poor colostrum quality on Scottish dairy calves.
Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight farms in the Stirlingshire, Lanarkshire and Dumfries and Galloway regions of Scotland were enrolled between February and June 2019. A farmer questionnaire was completed by interview, detailing colostrum management practices. Two hundred and fifty-two colostrum samples were collected by trained farm staff at point of feeding. For each sample, Brix refractometry (Brix) was used to estimate IgG concentration and TBC and TCC were carried out using plate counts and PetrifilmsTM respectively.
Brix, TBC and TCC were dichotomized to form categorical outcome variables either falling below, or exceeding industry thresholds and multi-level logistic regression models were constructed using farm as a random effect.
Results: Results for IgG concentration showed 111/252 samples, (44.05 %) were below 22% Brix and 77/252 (29.76 %) and 50/252 (19.84 %) exceeded the TBC and TCC thresholds respectively. When industry recommendations, in terms of Brix % and bacterial contamination, were considered only 99/252 (39.29%) met all the criteria.
Colostrum harvested from dams more than six hours after calving was half as likely to exceed the Brix threshold of 22% (reflective of adequate IgG concentration) (OR=0.47, 95%CI = -1.65–0.12, p = 0.09) compared with colostrum harvested less than six hours after calving. Furthermore, colostrum that was left in the collection bucket as opposed to being stored or fed immediately post-harvest was found to be 28.09 times (estimate = 3.34; 95%CI = 0.66–6.00) more likely to exceed TBC thresholds compared with colostrum that did not sit in a collection bucket post-harvest (p = 0.014).
Conclusion: A large proportion of colostrum samples (60.71%) failed to meet Brix thresholds, bacterial thresholds or both. Colostrum management strategies can be a risk for poor colostrum quality. Timing of colostrum harvest post calving was associated with a colostrum Brix <22%, and time spent in the bucket prior to feeding or storing was associated with a TBC exceeding 100,00CFU/ml. Poor colostrum quality could have significant impacts of calf health and welfare.
Keywords: Colostrum, Brix, Bacteria, Risk Factors.
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Affiliation of the authors at the time of publication
The University of Glasgow/The Stewartry Veterinary Centre, Glasgow/ Castle Douglas, United Kingdom;
The Scotland's Rural Colleges, Dumfries, United Kingdom;
The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
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