| The objective of this dissertation was to evaluate the oral supplementation of dairy calves with dried bovine colostrum (DBC) from the day after birth to 14 days of age for enhancement of passive immunity, growth, and overall health. A total of 120 dairy calves were assigned to one of three treatment groups: control, 5g IgG in DBC per feeding or 10g IgG in DBC per feeding. Daily intakes, weekly weights, fecal scores and health of the calves were recorded from birth to weaning 45 days of age. Average daily gain (ADG) in the first week was significantly higher in the 5g IgG group. However, ADG from birth to weaning did not differ between the 3 groups. The time to commence starter consumption was significantly shorter for calves in the 10g IgG group compared to calves in the control group. The incidence of diarrhea and the prevalence of fecal pathogen shedding were similar between the 3 groups. Overall, few calves became ill during the study period. In this experiment, DBC supplementation did not affect ADG, milk and water consumption, the incidence of diarrhea, or the prevalence of fecal pathogen shedding. |
