Performance of Hanwoo calves fed a commercial colostrum replacer versus natural bovine colostrum

Abstract

Supplying a sufficient amount of high-quality colostrum is a prevailing challenge in Hanwoo calf production systems. This study aimed to describe the efficiency of a lacteal-derived colostrum replacer versus natural bovine colostrum (from Holstein) fed to Hanwoo calves. Forty newborn Hanwoo calves (25 males and 15 females; 30.7 ± 3.15 kg body weight [mean ± standard deviation]) were blocked by sex and birth weight and fed either natural colostrum or a commercial colostrum replacer. Calves displayed a narrow difference in the evolution of body weight and structural body dimensions when they received a commercial versus natural colostrum. Minor differences existed in the starter and total dry matter consumption between calves fed natural or commercial colostrum. Although the colostrum source had no significant effects on days to first diarrhea (average of 7.6 days; p = 0.17), the duration of diarrhea was longer in natural colostrum-fed calves (3.2 vs. 4.5 days; p = 0.04). Consumption of natural colostrum resulted in greater mean serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) on day 2 (14.7 vs. 10.8 ± 0.92 mg/mL) and day 7 (8.21 vs. 5.12 ± 0.82 mg/mL) of calf life, resulting in a greater proportion of commercial colostrum-fed calves (50% vs. 15%; day 2) to experience failure of passive transfer of immunity (serum IgG < cutoff point of 10 mg/mL). Overall, growth rate, body frame development, and incidence of diarrheal disease were not different in both groups. These results suggested that the colostrum replacer product tested in this study could be an alternative to natural colostrum derived from Holstein cow in securing calf growth and health in Hanwoo calf-rearing operations.

Keywords: Colostrum replacer; Diarrhea; Hanwoo calf; Performance.

Fig. 1.. Failure of colostral immunoglobulin G transfer (IgG < 10 mg/mL; day 2 of calf life) (A) and mean ± SE blood IgG concentrations at 2, 7, 30, and 60 days of life (B) in Hanwoo calves fed commercial colostrum (white columns) versus natural colostrum (black columns).

Means with an asterisk at each time point differ (p < 0.05).

Fig. 2.. Evolution of mean ± SE starter intake (A) and total DM intake (B; milk replacer DM + starter DM) in Hanwoo calves fed commercial colostrum (■) versus natural colostrum (○).

DM, dry matter.

Fig. 3.. Evolution of mean ± SE body weight (A) and average daily gain (B) in Hanwoo calves fed commercial colostrum (■) versus natural colostrum (○).

Fig. 4.. Mean ± SE body length (A), heart girth (B), and body barrel (C) in Hanwoo calves fed commercial colostrum (■) versus natural colostrum (○).

Fig. 5.. Mean ± SE withers height (A) and hip height (B) in Hanwoo calves fed commercial colostrum (■) versus natural colostrum (○).

Fig. 6.. Time to reach first diarrhea (A) and days with diarrhea (B) in Hanwoo calves fed commercial colostrum (white column) versus natural colostrum (black column).

Means with an asterisk differ (p < 0.05).