The Angus Journal® is a monthly magazine known for in-depth coverage of American Angus Association® programs and services; the Angus business; herd management; and advertising reflecting genetics and herd philosophies.
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in order to receive passive immunity from the dam. To ensure adequate absorption, calves must receive colostrum within the first 24 hours of life. As calves age, the intestines lose the ability to absorb large molecules like the IgG antibody proteins. Because there is significant variability in calf birth weight, colostrum concentration, volume of colostrum produced, etc., it is difficult to make definitive recommendations regarding the exact dose and timing of colostrum to ensure calf health. Common rules of thumb suggest that beef calves should receive approximately 6%-10% of body weight in colostrum within the first 24 hours of life, with approximately 2-3 quarts ingested during the first 12 hours of life. Ideally, calves would ingest approximately 2 quarts of high-quality colostrum within the first 4-6 hours of life and an additional 1-2 quarts by approximately 12 hours of age. Ideally, newborn calves would receive some TLC (tender loving care) from the dam, stand within the first hour or so after birth, and immediately find a teat to suckle a nice healthy dose of rich colostrum. We all know, however, that calving season can be full of challenges and surprises: dystocia, weak calves, chilled calves, poor mothers, lack of colostrum production, and a host of other challenges that can disrupt the ideal. So what do we do to provide colostrum when these challenges occur? Mother's milk is almost always best. If possible, help the calf nurse or milk out the dam to tube/bottle-feed the newborn. Heifers may not offer the quantity or quality necessary, and calves born to heifers may require colostrum supplementation or several small feedings offered as more colostrum is let down and made available by the young dam. If the problem is insufficient colostrum production by the dam, or if it is not possible to milk the dam for any reason, the second- best option may be to use fresh or frozen colostrum from another cow. Mature, healthy, well-vaccinated cows within the same herd would be the best choices for colostrum donors. When compared to heifers, mature cows produce colostrum that is more abundant and more concentrated. Healthy, well-vaccinated cows will be less likely to transmit disease and more likely to February 2017 n ANGUSJournal n 179 CONTINUED ON PAGE 180 Robert Elliott & Sons Angus Sale Monday • February 27, 2017 Noon (CST) • 1291 N. Stroudsville Road • Adams, TN 37010 Selling 50 Fall Yearling Bulls and 35 Cows with Fall Calves, 3-n-1s Videos of cattle selling should be online by February 6, 2017 All animals selling, including calves at side of dam, have genomic enhanced EPDs Bulls selling are sired by: Sitz Lightning, Weigh Up, Thunder, Final Answer, Patriot and Remedy Cows selling are sired by: Final Answer, HA Program, Aberdeen, Mentor, Retail Product, Fix It and Ten X Calves beside their dams are sired by: Weigh Up, Sure Fire, Remedy and Consensus 7229 Herd is Certified and Accredited with years of clean tests for Johne's, BVD, BLV and Anaplasmosis. For an in-depth look at our breeding and management philosophy, view our sale book or view videos of the sale cattle visit our web site at: robertelliottandsonsfarm.com Sale broadcast and sale cattle videos at ANGUS AUCTIONS & DVAuction 82 nd Anniversary! Joe Elliott William B. Elliott Lake Elliott 615.505.2394 (H) 615.505.9234 (H) 615.483.2444 (C) 615.969.2205 (C) 615-944-9123 (C) resdubman@gmail.com resjoe@bellsouth.net reswbe@outlook.com RES Patriot 3151 3222 532 Reg. No. 18461340 • Patriot X 454 X Final Answer X 878 CED BW WW YW Doc HP MILK MW MH +7 +2.5 +62 +116 +28 +14.2 +28 +21 +.1 CW Marb RE Fat $W $B +41 +.75 +1.00 +.053 +62.69 +128.56 EPDs as of: 12/21/16 254-413-2420 February 2017 ■ ANGUSJournal ■ 179