Performance of Sahiwal calves fed on colostrum preserved by different methods.

Abstract

Colostrum preserved by 5 different methods was fed to 35 preweaning Sahiwal and Sahiwal crossbred calves from 6-30-days-old for a period of 4 weeks. Seven control calves were fed whole milk (WM). Colostrum was treated with 0.1% formaldehyde (F1), 0.05% formaldehyde (F2). 0.5% formic acid (FA1), 0.1% formic acid (FA2) and untreated (NF). Calves were fed their respective colostrum diets at 10% body weight per day. They were weighed weekly and milk/colostrum intakes, refusals and health problems were recorded daily. Preserved colostrum refusals were observed in the first few days of stored colostrum feeding with scouring also occurring. The highest amount of refusal was recorded in the NF (41 kg) followed by FA1 (38.4 kg). FA2 had the least average refusal followed by F2. The pH in FA1 and NF averaged 4. Health problems were mostly nutritional scours which was highest in the F2 group while F1 calves exhibited colic in the second week of feeding. Deaths (n=3) occurred in the F1 group after 2 weeks. Postmortem examinations revealed abomasal and jejunal congestion and haemorrhages with uncoagulated colostrum even after 12 h. The 4 remaining calves from this group had poor liveweight gains. No deaths were reported for the WM group and these calves appeared more healthy.