Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:07 pm
Colostrum is of huge importance to the health and wellbeing of calves, both as newborn and for many months after, if not their entire lives. It is very imp-ortant for nutrition and especially for immunity, as much of the large amount of antibodies contained can be absorbed whole despite being very large protein molecules. Within the first 24 hours the lining of the intestine closes and any protein is digested into component parts before being absorbed. In ideal circumstances every calf should receive colostrum from its dam, preferably by direct suckling, but if not by bucket feeding or indeed by stomach tube if not able to suckle or drink. If the dam's colostrum is not obtainable, it may be possible to use colostrum stored from another member of the herd, or even from other herds. Breeders should beware of the implications of feeding a calf colostrum from any cow other than its own mother, and in certain circumstances even the colostrum from a calf's mother may be a risk.
Disease present in a neighbour or friend's herd but not in yours may be passed on in colostrum, both viral and bacterial eg BVD, IBR, Johnes, Salmonella - so do take care if sourcing (what a horrible term for "Getting") colostrum outwith your own herd. Even if disease is not passed on antibodies may be, and this can happen with commercially available colostrum products too. Many of these are imported from North America, and a letter in this weeks Veterinary Record highlights the dangers. I quote--
"Positive enzootic bovine leucosis serology results in calves from feeding a colostrum substitute- We would like to report on the findings of our investigations of a number of cases where feeding young calves a colostrum substitute imported from Canada resulted in positive enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) serology results in these animals.
Bovine leukosis virus (BVL) is the cause of EBL in cattle. EBL is a notifiable disease and the UK is currently classified as officially EBL free by the European Union.
Routine serological screening of calves on three different UK farms, destined for artificial insemination centres or export, revealed the presence of antibodies to BLV. Our investigations indicated that these antibodies were not the result of infection with BLV but that they were passively acquired from an imported colostrum substitute with the trade name Calf's Choice Total, which has been marketed in the UK as a supplimentary source of colostrum for neonatal calves. Calf's Shoice Total is manufactured in Canada (where EBL is endemic) by the Sakatoon Colostrum Company and is distributed in the UK by Alta UK. An information sheet provided with the product states that it is made from natural bovine colostrum and contains antibodies to a wide variety of common infectious organisms, including BLV. The information sheet also states that calves fed the product on day 1 of age may show a positive result if their blood is tested for these antibodies.
We have not identified any direct animal health risk associated with the use of this product. The product has been imported using a health certificate under the Animal By-Products Regulations, which requires the colostrum to be heat-treated in a way that will readily inactivate BLV. There is no evidence that the product contains viable BLV and therefore our current investigations indicate there is not an infection risk. However, the use of this product, or equivalent products from countries where EBL is endemic, does have implications for surveillance for EBL and for individual farms, because any positive results to a serological test for EBL triggers disease control restrictions and investigations under the relevant legistaltion. Thorough investigation of herd status in these cases is essential to allow us to continue to demonstrate national freedom from EBL. Although every effort is taken to ensure that disease control restrictions are proportionate, they are likely to prove inconvenient for the affected premises, with the possibility of consequential financial loss. Initially the whole herd will be placed under movement restrictions, although this may subsequently be reduced to the epidemiological groups containing the seropositive animals. Such restrictions may however continue for several months while antibodiy levels are monitored.
We request that colleagues in cattle practice bring this matter to the attention of their clients, particularly those calves likely to be subjected to routine serological screening for EBL, such as calves destined for an artificial insemination centre or export.
Ruth Lysons, Deputy Director, Food & Farming Group, Public Health Protection, Livestock Demographics and Surveillance Team, Defra...."etc
I apologise for the length of this but thought it best to put in the whole letter. I am also aware of concerns amongst members of the SAC Veterinary Investigation Service regarding such products and Johnes disease.
Johnes disease in a herd is also a special situation where sharing of colostrum amongst dams and calves may be seriously damaging. If any of you have had Johnes positive results then you should get detailed advice from your vet on limiting or eriadicating it.
Duncan
Disease present in a neighbour or friend's herd but not in yours may be passed on in colostrum, both viral and bacterial eg BVD, IBR, Johnes, Salmonella - so do take care if sourcing (what a horrible term for "Getting") colostrum outwith your own herd. Even if disease is not passed on antibodies may be, and this can happen with commercially available colostrum products too. Many of these are imported from North America, and a letter in this weeks Veterinary Record highlights the dangers. I quote--
"Positive enzootic bovine leucosis serology results in calves from feeding a colostrum substitute- We would like to report on the findings of our investigations of a number of cases where feeding young calves a colostrum substitute imported from Canada resulted in positive enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) serology results in these animals.
Bovine leukosis virus (BVL) is the cause of EBL in cattle. EBL is a notifiable disease and the UK is currently classified as officially EBL free by the European Union.
Routine serological screening of calves on three different UK farms, destined for artificial insemination centres or export, revealed the presence of antibodies to BLV. Our investigations indicated that these antibodies were not the result of infection with BLV but that they were passively acquired from an imported colostrum substitute with the trade name Calf's Choice Total, which has been marketed in the UK as a supplimentary source of colostrum for neonatal calves. Calf's Shoice Total is manufactured in Canada (where EBL is endemic) by the Sakatoon Colostrum Company and is distributed in the UK by Alta UK. An information sheet provided with the product states that it is made from natural bovine colostrum and contains antibodies to a wide variety of common infectious organisms, including BLV. The information sheet also states that calves fed the product on day 1 of age may show a positive result if their blood is tested for these antibodies.
We have not identified any direct animal health risk associated with the use of this product. The product has been imported using a health certificate under the Animal By-Products Regulations, which requires the colostrum to be heat-treated in a way that will readily inactivate BLV. There is no evidence that the product contains viable BLV and therefore our current investigations indicate there is not an infection risk. However, the use of this product, or equivalent products from countries where EBL is endemic, does have implications for surveillance for EBL and for individual farms, because any positive results to a serological test for EBL triggers disease control restrictions and investigations under the relevant legistaltion. Thorough investigation of herd status in these cases is essential to allow us to continue to demonstrate national freedom from EBL. Although every effort is taken to ensure that disease control restrictions are proportionate, they are likely to prove inconvenient for the affected premises, with the possibility of consequential financial loss. Initially the whole herd will be placed under movement restrictions, although this may subsequently be reduced to the epidemiological groups containing the seropositive animals. Such restrictions may however continue for several months while antibodiy levels are monitored.
We request that colleagues in cattle practice bring this matter to the attention of their clients, particularly those calves likely to be subjected to routine serological screening for EBL, such as calves destined for an artificial insemination centre or export.
Ruth Lysons, Deputy Director, Food & Farming Group, Public Health Protection, Livestock Demographics and Surveillance Team, Defra...."etc
I apologise for the length of this but thought it best to put in the whole letter. I am also aware of concerns amongst members of the SAC Veterinary Investigation Service regarding such products and Johnes disease.
Johnes disease in a herd is also a special situation where sharing of colostrum amongst dams and calves may be seriously damaging. If any of you have had Johnes positive results then you should get detailed advice from your vet on limiting or eriadicating it.
Duncan