preston39
Well-known member
"Cattle Update: Storing Colostrum for Optimum Passive Immunity
Colostrum is the first milk delivered by the cow after calving. Cow calf producers are aware that natural colostrum must be ingested by baby calves within 6 hours of birth to acquire optimum passive immunity and disease protection. However some calves do not have ample opportunity to receive colostrum. Perhaps the mother is a thin, two-year-old that does not give enough milk or the baby calf was stressed by a long delivery process and is too sluggish to get up and nurse in time to get adequate colostrum. These calves need to be hand fed stored colostrum in order to have the best opportunity to survive scours infections and/or respiratory diseases. Therefore stored frozen colostrum from a dairy or from other beef cows that lost calves at calving should be on hand to meet these needs. If colostrum is obtained from another farm (i.e. a neighboring dairy), try to ascertain the health status of that herd.
Colostrum from cows infected with Johne's Disease may infect the calves we are feeding at home.
Colostrum can be refrigerated for only about 1 week before quality (immunoglobulin or antibody concentration) declines. If you store colostrum, unfrozen, be sure that the refrigerator is cold (33-35°F, 1-2°C) to reduce the onset of bacterial growth. If the colostrum begins to show signs of souring, the quality of the colostrum is reduced. The immunglobulin (very large protein) molecules in colostrum that bring passive immunity to the calf will be broken down by the bacteria, reducing the amount of immunity that the colostrum can provide. Thus, it is important that colostrum be stored in the refrigerator for only a week or less.
How long can the frozen colostrum be stored? We often answer this question flippantly by saying, "just as long as you would store frozen fish to eat!" Colostrum may be frozen for up to a year without significant breakdown of the immunoglobulins. However this is one example where improved technology is not in our favor. Frost-free freezers are not the best for long-term colostrum storage. They go through cycles of freezing and thawing that can allow the colostrum to partially thaw. This can greatly shorten colostrum storage life.
Freezing colostrum in 1 or 2 quart bottles or 1 quart in 1 or 2 gallon zip-closure storage bags is an excellent method of storing colostrum. Many producers have had great success using the zip-closure bags. Use two bags to minimize the chance of leaking, and lay them flat in the freezer. By laying the bags flat, the rate of thawing can be increased, thereby reducing the delay between time of calving and feeding. The freezer should be cold (-20°C, -5°F) - it's a good idea to check your freezer occasionally. Much more information about colostrum use and transfer of passive immunity is available from the OSU Fact Sheet F-3358 Disease Protection of Baby Calves.
Source: Glenn Selk, OSU Extension Cattle Reproduction Specialist"
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Does anyone store this for emergency use? If so how long do you keep it frozen if you don't use it?
Colostrum is the first milk delivered by the cow after calving. Cow calf producers are aware that natural colostrum must be ingested by baby calves within 6 hours of birth to acquire optimum passive immunity and disease protection. However some calves do not have ample opportunity to receive colostrum. Perhaps the mother is a thin, two-year-old that does not give enough milk or the baby calf was stressed by a long delivery process and is too sluggish to get up and nurse in time to get adequate colostrum. These calves need to be hand fed stored colostrum in order to have the best opportunity to survive scours infections and/or respiratory diseases. Therefore stored frozen colostrum from a dairy or from other beef cows that lost calves at calving should be on hand to meet these needs. If colostrum is obtained from another farm (i.e. a neighboring dairy), try to ascertain the health status of that herd.
Colostrum from cows infected with Johne's Disease may infect the calves we are feeding at home.
Colostrum can be refrigerated for only about 1 week before quality (immunoglobulin or antibody concentration) declines. If you store colostrum, unfrozen, be sure that the refrigerator is cold (33-35°F, 1-2°C) to reduce the onset of bacterial growth. If the colostrum begins to show signs of souring, the quality of the colostrum is reduced. The immunglobulin (very large protein) molecules in colostrum that bring passive immunity to the calf will be broken down by the bacteria, reducing the amount of immunity that the colostrum can provide. Thus, it is important that colostrum be stored in the refrigerator for only a week or less.
How long can the frozen colostrum be stored? We often answer this question flippantly by saying, "just as long as you would store frozen fish to eat!" Colostrum may be frozen for up to a year without significant breakdown of the immunoglobulins. However this is one example where improved technology is not in our favor. Frost-free freezers are not the best for long-term colostrum storage. They go through cycles of freezing and thawing that can allow the colostrum to partially thaw. This can greatly shorten colostrum storage life.
Freezing colostrum in 1 or 2 quart bottles or 1 quart in 1 or 2 gallon zip-closure storage bags is an excellent method of storing colostrum. Many producers have had great success using the zip-closure bags. Use two bags to minimize the chance of leaking, and lay them flat in the freezer. By laying the bags flat, the rate of thawing can be increased, thereby reducing the delay between time of calving and feeding. The freezer should be cold (-20°C, -5°F) - it's a good idea to check your freezer occasionally. Much more information about colostrum use and transfer of passive immunity is available from the OSU Fact Sheet F-3358 Disease Protection of Baby Calves.
Source: Glenn Selk, OSU Extension Cattle Reproduction Specialist"
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Does anyone store this for emergency use? If so how long do you keep it frozen if you don't use it?
