Farm First Vets Newsletter September 2011Join us for Colostrum Awareness Month
We are participating in XL Vets Colostrum Awareness Month which is sponsored by Locatim®. Locatim® is the only licensed standardised immunoglobulin treatment proven to reduce mortality in the calf.
As you are already aware the acquisition of high quality colostrum is a very important factor influencing neonatal calf health. Studies have shown that as many as 38% of calves have insufficient levels of immunoglobulins to offer protection in the face of an infectious challenge. A wide range of maternal and neonatal factors may affect the passive transfer of immunity. Calves of high yielding, intensively managed dairy cows are likely to ingest an inadequate quantity or quality of colostrum if left to suckle from the cow. . In beef herds, large calves which have had a difficult calving may be slow to get up and suck, while heifers may be reluctant to stand still for a calf. Large teats and low udders on older cows can also prove awkward for calves, and therefore reduce their colostrum intake. Current advice is that a calf should take in 3 litres of colostrum within the first 6 hours, split into two feeds if necessary.
Managing colostral intake can be tricky for farmers. Most cows calve at night, and few herdsmen relish the thought of helping a batch of newborn calves suckle, or stripping cows out and bottle or tube feeding at four in the morning before milking. Even on farms where calves do drink enough colostrum, quality may be an issue. Solutions include keeping a store of frozen colostrum from healthy cows which have some to spare, and the use of artificial colostrum replacers.
It is useful to remember the four Qs of colostrum feeding – Quantity, Quickly, Quality and Quietly – it has been shown that stressed calves absorb the antibodies in the colostrums less efficiently.
The concentration of IgG in good quality colostrum from a fit, healthy cow at calving is about 60g/litre. However, if she had mastitis when dry, or suffered a peri-parturient metabolic disease, the concentration could be much less. First lactation heifers produce less colostrum while high yielding Holstein Friesian cows tend to produce more dilute colostrum.

What does colostrum awareness month involve? We are offering a colostrum management audit on your farm. One of our vets will do a visit and have an in-depth discussion on how colostrum is currently managed on-farm and discuss any improvements that could be made. The vet will complete a colostrum management audit and take a colostrum sample(s). The colostrum quality will then be tested using a refractometer. This will be followed up by a discussion on how the colostrum management could be improved. We will also be holding a farmer meeting on the 20th September at 7.30pm to be held in the King of Prussia for a session on ‘Colostrum Management in the Newborn Calf.’
How do I get involved? If you think colostrum management is an area that could be improved on your farm, please ring the surgery today to arrange an on-farm audit or to book your place at the farmer meeting.
Price Restructure
As a result of listening to feedback from some of our clients, we have restructured our fees in two areas.
1. There will now be a single rate for veterinary time of £77/hour + vat, regardless of which vet is carrying out the work.
2. The charges for emergency call-outs remain unchanged, but they will be categorized as follows:
Emergency call-out - any out-of-hours visit to farm before 11pm
Emergency call out after 11pm - out-of-hours visit to farm after 11pm
Emergency call back to surgery – again, will cost more if after 11 pm.
These changes will come into place from the September 1st 2011 and we hope that they will make our fees structure easier to understand. Please note Saturday mornings are not categorised as out-of- hours. If you require drugs to be left out on a Saturday morning, please ring the emergency number and the duty vet will arrange to call in and leave the drugs out (at no extra charge).
Booking TB tests
Debbie has asked that you book your TB tests as soon as you are aware that you require one. TB testing will get very busy now in the next few months so book in advance to avoid disappointment.
Usk Show 10th September
We will be at Usk Show once again this year and look forwards to welcoming to the stand. Please come and find us for a chat and a cup of tea.
Robert’s Festival Experience
Many of you may have noticed that Robert is going through a midlife crisis. He decided recently he should attend the Green Man festival in Crickhowell. Thursday afternoon he went down and pitched his tent and went off to enjoy the bands. Unfortunately, Tim who was on duty, got into trouble with a calving so rang Rob for assistance. After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, Rob decided he would have to go and help. The problem was, Rob had parked his car some distance from the concert, as he had to work the next day. It was after 9pm but he decided he would leave the concert and run along the road to his car. He hadn’t got very far along the dark lane when an old transit van from the festival pulled up and the occupants asked Rob if he needed a lift anywhere. ‘Yes’ he replied and got into the back of the van, disappearing into a haze of marijuana fumes. The driver and his friends asked why he was jogging along the road after dark and he replied that one of his colleagues was having trouble with an emergency calving so he was on his way to collect his car to go and give him a hand. This obviously bemused them and after a few odd looks, one of them said ‘what do you mean, an emergency carving? Is he having problems with a sculpture?’ These boys were road crew for a London band and thought Rob was rushing to an ornament emergency!