Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Another Take on Bottle vs. Tube Feeding Colostrum

Earlier work comparing two methods of feeding colostrum measured antibody levels in calf blood. They found that as long as good quality clean colostrum was fed at the rate of at least 3 quarts the feeding method did not influence the effectiveness of antibody transfer. A more detailed report of this work is available HERE or paste this URL

This research examined the rate at which the colostrum entered the abomasum. 

They examined a key factor determining antibody absorption - the rate at which the abomasum empties. They found that these two methods, tube or bottle feeding of colostrum, stimulated the same rate of abomasal emptying. Thus, we should expect the same level of immunity regardless of method of feeding.

Reference: Desjardins-Morrissette, M. and Others "The effect of tube versus bottle feeding colostrum on immunoglobulin G absorption, abomasal emplying, and plasma hormone concentrations in newborn calves." Journal of Dairy Science 101:4168-4179. 2018

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