Tag: Dairy management

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, good-quality raw milk must be free of debris, off-flavours, and abnormal colour, with a low bacterial count. Understanding the factors of milk quality is essential for farmers, processors, and consumers to ensure a safe, nutritious, and economically viable dairy product.

Within the first few hours after calving, a cow's colostrum is at its highest concentration of immunoglobulins, which are vital antibodies for a newborn calf's immune system. This nutrient-rich substance is essential for calf health, and knowing how is colostrum harvested from cows properly is a critical part of modern dairy management. The process must be performed quickly and hygienically to maximize quality and prevent contamination.

According to the USDA, failure of passive transfer in dairy calves can lead to a higher risk of disease and death in the first two months of life. Colostrum replacement is the process of feeding a commercial product to a newborn, most commonly a calf, to provide essential antibodies when maternal colostrum is insufficient or unavailable.