the importance of colustrum

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This concerns the lamb I have been posting about this week. Vet was here yesterday and pronounced her thriving. Said mama just had a bad udder, and that the baby probably didn't even get colostrum. I have always thought that mammals (aside from human infants) who didn't get colostrum were practically doomed. I can't stand to think of all the effort we've put into this baby (not to mention we love her!) being a waste because she didn't get the first milk, especially since she is really doing so well now. Well, the vet said that he also used to think that colustrum was absolutely essential, but over the years has known many babies who missed out on it but lived & thrived anyway. He says the next 8 weeks are crucial as far as keeping her healthy & away from any cooties, and that after that she has as good a chance as any other lamb. Good news, of course, but I could use more reassurance. Have any of you successfully raised a baby without colostrum, and what precautions would you suggest? (Vet says it's too late for replacement colostrum now, and completely impractical besides.)

-- Shannon at Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary (gratacres@aol.com), May 10, 2001

Answers

Shannon, I don't have any idea about your current lamb but we were told to keep cow colostrum in the freezer for future use when we had babies due. In a deep freeze it would last for some time and be just a thawing away from being able to nurish a jeopardized baby. We got our colostrum from a dairy farm up the street but you can order it from Alternative Livestock (I think).

-- Emily Nouvertne (bellyacresfarm@kyk.net), May 10, 2001.

A helpful supplement for any nursing animal (or people with digestion problems, or direaha) is the "benifical bacteria" milk; found in all major size food stores. The milk is pasturized and the bacteria is then put back into the milk; ask the dairy case clerk. I believe it is spelled acidophlis; look for the word in the nutrional info area on the carton and there is also avialable canned goat milk, known to be easy to digest.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), May 10, 2001.

My only experience is with calves. I have never saved one which didn't appear to get colostrum (e.g., tits on cows were too large). Ten days is about max regardless of what I did.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), May 10, 2001.

There was a period of two or three years, back in the early days of CAE control, where I didn't feed any colostrum at all to my newborn goat kids. They were raised until weaning age in a separate, wood floored shed that I kept impeccably clean, and moved into the main barn at 10-12 weeks. All of them grew up into healthy productive does. One was even Top Ten for production!

Just keep your lamb very clean and unstressed, and as time goes on her own immune system will kick in and you'll never know the difference.

-- Julia (charmer24@juno.com), May 10, 2001.


Shannon, I don't think we live all that far apart. I have some colostum frozen if you want to take a short trip and come pick some up. E-mail me if you like.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), May 10, 2001.


I just got to thinking about the time issue, probably not going to make that much difference at this point. I think I read someplace where they needed to get it in the first so many hours because after that they didn't digest it right anyway??? It was a thought anyway. Hope it works out o.k. for you.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), May 10, 2001.

I've heard, at least with calves, the time limit is about 18-hours. After that their digestive system somehow changes to where they will not absorve the antibodies in the colostrum. Fortunately I didn't lose a calf the past two years. Maybe pressing my luck though, as you will lose some no matter what your management program is.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), May 10, 2001.

No expert here, and certainly don't want to underestimate the problem. But, I was under the assumption that colustrum is most important for passing along anti-bodies. So long as sanitation is excellent, and anybody that comes in contact with it are healthy, I would believe your vet.

While I am sure that colustrum provides some other benefits, I believe the anti-bodies are the most important, and you can do a lot to make up for the loss.... I am sure that your lamb will be just fine!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), May 10, 2001.


In a strictly pet situation where her health isn't compromised from new herd mates, stress etc, and with an excellent vaccination program you could end up with a nice ewe. I would be using prevention for cocci, ecolie etc. with sulfa drugs from before she is 3 weeks old, monthly until she is very well grown. You certainly don't have to be around many children or livestock who aren't given colostrum to see the benefits of it. In the south with no natural immunities from cocci and worms she would be plagued with neonatal diarrhea and fail to thrive. Good luck. I couldn't disagree more with your vet. Telling your clients what they want to hear, sparing their feelings, does nobody any good in the end. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), May 10, 2001.

I usually buy colustrum replacer but this year I had a ewe with no milk and bottle babies with no colustrum. Colustrum immunes the babies for 11 days and if the ewe wasn't properly vacinated that wouldn't transfer plus if the mothers are ewelambs them selves as six of mine were you have very little transferring. I watch my babies and had a little bit of diarreha here and there which I used anibiotics on immediately for five days. I am not using medicated creep feed but would if I could find. I do have corrid and sulmet if a case of coccidious does show its nasty face, although, I have never had a problem with that, but could!! I wormed my babies the minute they touched pasture at about 30 days and will them week again with is another 30 days. Also, vacinate your little one. I used tetanis at 10 days when I dock. At 3 weeks I use a cd/t shot then another month later another cd/t shot (overeating, tetanis and maybe someone else knows what the d stand for?) I have never and I mean never had a case of shock from the shots or wormers but have heard it is possible and know of someone who has lost to vacination, so I always keep epernerern (sp) around. It is a shot if a lamb goes into shock from the shots. I keep it handle when I work on the horses also. But, don't be scared I think it is rare. Also, don't get bummed out about no colustrum it is too late anyway and if the little one looks okay she okay. Isn't this the only one you have anyway. The risks are when there is a flock of sheep to take care of, if it is your only one I wouldn't do much except possible look for medicated feed and make sure she doesn't overeat it or eat to much grass at one time. I use to raise just a few a year and didn't do a thing but wormed twice a year. (I work everymonth now!!!)

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), May 10, 2001.


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