title: Effect of quality of colostrum on health, growth and immunoglobulin G concentration in Holstein calves in a hot environment.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ingestion of pasteurized and subsequently frozen-thawed pooled colostrum (≥50 mg Ig/mL) with different bacterial counts and immunoglobulin concentration (IgC) on the occurrence of diarrhea and pneumonia in 306 neonatal Holstein calves in a hot environment. Calves were assigned to be fed colostrum with total bacterial counts (TBC) lower or greater than 100 000 colony-forming units (cfu)/mL, total coliform counts (TCC) greater or lower than 10 000 cfu/mL, and IgC lower or higher than 85 mg Ig/mL. Calves fed colostrum with TBC ≥100 000 cfu/mL were more likely (risk ratio 1.34, confidence interval 1.05-1.71; P < 0.05) to present pneumonia than calves receiving colostrum with lower TBC (incidence 53.2 vs. 39.8%). Calves fed colostrum with high TCC had increased chances of suffering pneumonia (51.4 vs. 42.1%; P < 0.05) than calves fed colostrum with lower TCC. Calves fed colostrum with ≥85 mg Ig/mL tended to present higher daily weight gain (505 ± 113 vs. 484 ± 126 g; P = 0.09). TBC and TCC in colostrum did not influence the incidence rate of diarrhea. It was concluded that under the conditions of the present study, heavy contamination of on-farm pasteurized frozen-thawed colostrum is seemingly unavoidable and this contamination poses a threat for pneumonia, but not for diarrhea.
authors.affiliation: Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro, Department of Animal Nutrition, Saltillo, Mexico.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mellado
authors.affiliation: Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro, Department of Veterinary Science, Torreon, Mexico.
authors.forename: Edir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro, Department of Veterinary Science, Torreon, Mexico.
authors.forename: Francisco G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Veliz
authors.affiliation: Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro, Department of Veterinary Science, Torreon, Mexico.
authors.forename: Angeles
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Santiago
authors.affiliation: Autonomous University of Baja California, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Mexicali, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ulises
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Macias-Cruz
authors.affiliation: Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro, Department of Animal Nutrition, Saltillo, Mexico.
authors.forename: Jose E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D058491:Bacterial Load; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D003126:Colostrum / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D005615:Freezing; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: colostrum pasteurization; dairy calves; diarrhea; immunoglobulins; pneumonia