MARCELO COSTA RODRIGUES

AUTHOR: MARCELO COSTA RODRIGUES
TITLE: ADDITION OF COLOSTRUM REPLACER IN CALVES AFTER 24 HOURS OF BIRTH

ADVISOR: Prof. Dr. EDGAR ALAIN COLLAO SAENZ
DEFENSE DATE: 12/11/2019

ABSTRACT

In order to evaluate the performance and health of calves supplemented with powdered colostrum replacer (SC), sixty-six 1-day Holstein calves were fed 4 L of Colostrum within 4 hours after birth (initial mean weight 39.5 kg) and plus 2 L of colostrum 6 hours after. Twenty-four hours after the first colostrum ingestion, blood samples were collected from all calves. The calves were divided into 2 groups (n = 33), The calves from the control group fed with 6 L of milk in three meals with 18% solids and those from the treatment group received 60 g (20/20/20 g) of SC powder. dissolved in 6 L of 18% solids milk, from the 2nd to the 6th day. From day 7, all calves received the same amount of milk and calf starter ad libitum. After 30 days, the calves received 4 L (18% solids) of milk twice a day until weaning at 60 days. Calves were evaluated daily for signs of disease (diarrhea and pneumonia) and weighted at 30 and 60 days. The occurrence of diarrhea did not differ statistically between the groups (P = 0.15). There was no interaction between animal weight and weighing day. Regardless of the period, calves supplemented with colostrum replacer had higher body weight (75.9 vs 78.6 kg LW, P = 0.02) and gained 0.07 kg/d more than the control group (0.78 vs 0.85 kg / d, P = 0.01) until weaning. Calves supplemented with colostrum replacer after 24 hours for 5 days performed better until weaning.