Colostrum Management
Feeding colostrum to newborn calves is the most important step a dairy farmer can take to ensure a healthy animal. The calf receives not only necessary energy for growth and essential immunity but also natural growth hormones reducing the need for artificial ones later in life. Properly feeding and caring for colostrum is called colostrum management.
Basic colostrum feeding system
A basic colostrum management system is one that feeds 4 quarts of colostrum within 2 hours after birth as per the minimum standard colostrum recommendation.
Better colostrum feeding system
Improved colostrum management system starts with colostrum testing, and includes clean colostrum storage, controlled colostrum thawing, and fast colostrum feeding.
Best colostrum feeding system
The Golden Calf Company offers the best colostrum management system. The fool-proof components work together to save big money in labor costs and training costs of the maternity area. The system focuses on the newborn calf, consistently achieving colostrum feeding within 30 minutes after birth, resulting in healthier calves.
3 simple steps when a calf is born
1. Choose good quality colostrum from your Colostrum Freezer Bank. Green cartridges can be easily labeled with quality of colostrum (IgG), cow number, quantity, or collection date.
2. Place cartridge with frozen colostrum into the ColoQuick Colostrum Management unit and choose the thaw cycle. In fifteen minutes, the colostrum will be at 104F and ready to be fed.
3. Feed newborn calf colostrum directly out of the colostrum bag held within the protective cartridge.3 simple steps when you milk the cow
4. Upon collection of colostrum from the first milking, test the colostrum quality with a colostrometer or a Golden Calf Company Refractometer then fill a 4 qt colostrum bag.
5. Pasteurize the freshly collected colostrum inside the colostrum bag in one of the ColoQuick: Colostrum Management System by Golden Calf Company units. (this step is optional)
6. Place the protective cartridge with the bag full of pasteurized colostrum into your Colostrum Freezer Bank from Golden Calf Company.