With multiple cows currently calving each day on the majority of spring calving dairy farms, there will more than likely be more colostrum available than needed.

This excess colostrum may actually come in very useful in the shoulders of the year when beestings are not as readily available and a cow only has poor quality colostrum to give to her calf.

This is why keeping a surplus of high quality colostrum is highly advisable to ensure calves always have access to good quality beestings.

It goes without saying how important it is to get colostrum into calves within the first few hours after birth, but if the quality and quantity is not adequate, then feeding is not as beneficial as you may think.

Quality colostrum is needed for the calf so that it can receive adequate antibodies, which build immunity, support growth, and optimise welfare.

Beestings contain immunoglobulins, energy, cytokines, growth factors, and increased levels of vitamins and minerals with a higher fat and protein content.

Feeding fresh colostrum should be straightforward as long as hygiene is ensured, but some farmers waste the surplus colostrum which could be put to good use.

Excess quality colostrum

If you do have excess beestings, they should be tested to ensure they are worthwhile feeding or storing.

This can be done using a brix refractometer, which will measure the amount of immunoglobulins the colostrum contains.

Only samples that test 22% or higher should be fed to calves. This is because samples that test over 22% contain at least 50mg/ml of immunoglobulins, which should give the calf the best start to life.

If you do have high extra high quality beestings, it can be stored at 4℃ for two days without negatively affecting the absorption of colostral immunoglobulins by the calf.

If the temperature is in excess of 4℃, bacterial contamination increases, which leads to decreased absorption of immunoglobulins.

Alternatively, if you are storing beestings for the shoulders of the calving season, you can freeze it at temperatures of -18 to -25℃.

If it is stored at this temperature, it should last for at least a year without any change in quality.

Ideally, colostrum should be frozen in sealable plastic bags, which makes it easier to thaw and heat when it is needed.

Heating

If you do freeze colostrum, it needs to be thawed at temperatures below 50℃, for example, in a hot bucket of water, in order to not affect its water quality.

Cold, refrigerated beestings should be warmed in a bucket before feeding to help increase antibody uptake by the calf.

When you are feeding it to calves, it should be at their body temperature or a minimum of 38℃ and a maximum of 50℃.

Colostral proteins, including immunoglobulins, will diminish if temperatures are above the recommended.

A microwave should not be used to thaw beestings, as it can cause coagulation of the proteins.

Hygiene needs to be a priority when reheating colostrum to minimise contamination and maximise immunoglobulin absorption.

Once reheated, test the colostrum with a brix refractometer to double check its quality.