c o l o s t r u m m a n a g e m e n t f o r c o m m e r c i a l g o at p r o d u c t i o n

Success from the start! C o l o s t r u m m a n a g e m e n t f o r c o m m e r c i a l g o a t p r o d u c t i o n

Sourcing colostrum

• Industry experts recommend that pooled colostrum NOT be fed to kids because it has the potential to spread disease. The risks associated with using pooled colostrum far outweigh the added advantage of immuno-protection from multiple-source does. Immunoglobulin levels would be average at best. • If a colostrum shortage occurs, ensure the source farm is of similar or superior disease status. Diseases of concern include Caprine-Arthritis- Encephalitis (CAE) and Johne’s disease. There are tests available through your veterinarian to check disease status. • Commercial colostrum replacement What is colostrum? products are of bovine origin, which may impact their effectiveness in Colostrum - rich in nutrients and immune properties - is produced by the doe’s building antibodies. They also do not udder in late pregnancy so it is available to the kids as soon as they are born. contain antibodies against the “farm bugs” and likely the donor cows have Colostrum is comprised of several important components: protein—serving as a not been vaccinated against diseases long-term energy source; fat and lactose — serving as short-term energy sources of concern in goats (e.g. pulpy kidney). that also help maintain body temperature; fat-soluble vitamins that do not cross the placenta like Vitamins A, D, and E that play a role in bone development and immune response; and immunoglobulins (IgG), antibodies to help newborn kids fight pathogens (viruses and bacteria). Once the doe kids, she starts to produce milk and the colostrum becomes diluted and contains fewer immunoglobulins than right at kidding. Goat kids, unlike human infants, are born without any antibodies and rely totally on the colostrum feeding in the first day of life for disease protection.

Why is colostrum necessary?

Colostrum is produced by all mammals to protect the newborn animal from environmental pathogens and to provide adequate energy. Best fed in the first hour of life, once colostrum is consumed the antibodies are absorbed through the small intestine into the blood stream. At birth a kid’s immune system is weak and it takes several weeks to become strong enough to defend against disease. Until then, the colostral antibodies are the kid’s main source of defense against bacteria and viruses. Inadequate colostrum quality and quantity can leave the kid open to infection from almost any opportunistic pathogen. Failure of passive transfer of immunity (FPT) is the term given to a newborn animal that has not received adequate immunity from the colostrum consumed.

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Handling fresh colostrum Colostrum quality

Collecting colostrum • Colostrum from the doe’s first milking immediately after kidding must be the only colostrum fed to kids. • Wear clean latex/nitrile gloves before collecting colostrum. Milk taken a few hours later does not contain sufficient antibodies to be protective and the colostrum has • Wipe the teats and then the udder with a clean cloth to ensure the become more diluted with milk. colostrum will not be contaminated by debris and bacteria. Teats should be sanitized and dried, using a clean cloth or paper towel. • Colostrum should be thick, yellow and smooth — think of melted vanilla ice cream. Using a colostrometer • Ensure that the colostrum container is clean and dry. calibrated for use in goat’s milk will help you gauge colostrum quality. • Using proper milking techniques, collect colostrum within 15 minutes of kidding (only first-milking colostrum should be collected for use in newborns). • Any appearance that mastitis may be present, e.g. clots, a bloody or serum-like appearance to the milk, • Heat-treating or chemically-treating colostrum for disease prevention or to or an abnormal colour, indicates that the colostrum is prevent bacterial growth should be done immediately after testing colostrum of poor quality. quality using a colostrometer. • Blood testing is available to measure immunoglobulin levels in kids from six hours old up to one week of age. This will assist you in measuring the effectiveness of your colostrum management protocol, and possibly offer insight into late pregnancy nutrition and kid mortality and morbidity. • Bacteria in colostrum restricts the uptake of immunoglobulins in the small intestine, and can become a source of infection in young kids.

Having quality colostrum starts with a good nutrition plan for late- Note: gestation does. Does that do not have ideal body condition scores at the time of dry-off may have difficulty generating good quality colostrum for the kids they carry. Working with a herd nutritionist will help you make informed choices about feeding during the transition period, which is the three weeks leading up to and following kidding.

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Treating colostrum for disease control Storing colostrum

• Heat-treating colostrum can be an effective method to help control major Refrigeration production-limiting diseases such as Johne’s disease and CAE. Fresh colostrum can be refrigerated without degrading for up to 48 hours. • The process to heat-treat colostrum is very specific and labour intensive. The internal fridge temperature should be between 1 to 2°C. Follow guidelines carefully for best results: Freezing • On the stovetop using a water bath, heat water to a maximum of 60°C (ideal temperature is 56°C). Freezing colostrum should be standard practice on the dairy goat farm for situations when colostrum is in short supply. When freezing colostrum, it is • Carefully place the colostrum container into the water bath. recommended to package it in 250 mL portions in either bottles or freezer bags for • Using a thermometer, ensure that the colostrum reaches 56 to 60°C. quick thawing and ease of use. Frozen colostrum is best used within six months. • Maintain this temperature for 60 minutes. Freezer temperature should be –20°C. Frost-free freezers are NOT recommended for long-term storage because of their freeze-thaw cycles.

Heating to a temperature below 56°C will allow the pathogens to survive. Note: Heating to over 60°C will cook the colostrum, killing the antibodies. Label every colostrum container with the date and the donor doe’s Heat-treating colostrum will reduce, but not eliminate, Johne’s-causing Note: identification or management number. bacteria. Do not leave colostrum at room temperature or in open containers and Note: pails as bacterial counts double every 20 minutes.

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Thawing colostrum Feeding kids colostrum

• Colostrum should be thawed in a warm water bath around 50°C. • An average kid weighs approximately three kilograms (kg) at birth. Feeding recommendations in this section are based on this weight. The general rule • Colostrum should NOT be thawed at room temperature. for feeding colostrum is 50 mL per kg of bodyweight four times within the first 24 hours of life – e.g. five per cent of its body weight immediately and 20 per • Mixing colostrum thoroughly during thawing will ensure that there are no hot cent in the first 24 hours. These recommendations apply to both doelings and spots or frozen pieces remaining. bucklings.

• For example, for a three kg kid: using only good quality colostrum, feed 150 mL within the first hour if possible, but no later than six hours after birth (the earlier the better). Never thaw colostrum in the microwave. This practice kills the Note: antibodies, making the colostrum ineffective. • If the dam’s colostrum is of insufficient quality because of illness or mastitis, thaw colostrum saved from another doe to feed kids.

• Continue feeding transition milk for three days as it is very rich in nutrients and energy that will benefit kids. Colostrum timeline TIME Avoid feeding too much colostrum in a single feeding. The sooner the kid 6:15 Note: has colostrum, the better. If the kid is too weak to drink, use an esophageal TIME tube (instructions can be found on Ontario Goat’s “Hypothermia and hypoglycemia in kids” poster). Repeat feeding 1:20 steps two more times with the first 24 hours of life.

TIME Prepare second 0:15 feeding of colostrum by thawing or First 50 mL/kg warming previously bodyweight feeding stored colostrum. TIME for the kid. This is a Feed when the great time to colostrum reaches implement other 37°C. 0:00 management Colostrum is tested protocols (iodine dip using a colostrometer. for navels, manage- The colostrum then ment tagging, etc). goes directly into heat-treatment for Kid is born, disease control. Excess colostrum colostrum is then stored collection is in the fridge or freezer. completed within 15 minutes.

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Bottles, buckets and nipples Antibody absorption

Bottles, buckets and nipples should be washed using soap and hot water From this graph, you can see the importance of getting the colostrum into kids (80°C). They should then be rinsed with a 10 per cent bleach solution. After as soon as possible. By 24 hours of age, the kid’s ability to absorb antibodies cleaning, let the bottles, buckets, and nipples dry before the next use to reduce has diminished. This decline starts 30 minutes after birth, which stresses the bacterial load. Stacking buckets together can re-introduce bacteria and promote importance of feeding kids colostrum shortly after they are born. bacterial growth – avoid this practice whenever possible.

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) 60 50 Bottles and buckets with cuts, grooves or scratches on the inside should Note: 40 be discarded, as these are an ideal environment for bacterial growth. 70 ) Absorption, (% 30 60 20 50 10 40 Colostrum 0 Absorption, (% 30 312243545 20 Hours (after birth) Credit: Waterman, 1998 10 Colostrum The mighty immune0 system 312243545 Hours (after birth) Given the correct colostrum quality and quantity, the kid’s immune response will resemble the graph below. Kids are at risk for sickness up to five weeks of age. At IMMUNE ANAMNESTIC RESPONSE this time, kids are starting to activate their own immune system rather than relying 1000 on the immunity gained from the colostrum. IgG

IMMUNE ANAMNESTIC RESPONSE 100 1000 Second exposure Initial exposure to the antigen to the antigen IgG IgM 10 100

Initial exposure Second exposure to the antigen Antibody titer (logarithmic scale) to the antigen 1 IgM 10 0 71421283542495663707784 Time (days)

Antibody titer (logarithmic scale) 1 0 71421283542495663707784

Time (days)

Credit: Dr. Paula Menzies, 2014

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Repeat feeding steps two more times with the first 24 hours of life. Time 6:15 Prepare second feeding of colostrum by thawing or warming previously stored Repeat feeding steps Time 1:20 colostrum. Feed when the two more times with First 50 mL/kg bodyweight colostrum reaches 37°C. the first 24 hours of life. feeding for the kid. This is a Time 6:15 great time to implement Prepare second feeding of other management colostrum by thawing or protocols (iodine dip for warming previously stored navels, management Time 0:15 Time 1:20 colostrum. Feed when the tagging, etc). Colostrum is tested First 50 mL/kg bodyweight colostrum reaches 37°C. using a colostrometer. feeding for the kid. This is a The colostrum then goes great time to implement directly into heat-treatment other management for disease control. Excess protocols (iodine dip for Ticolostrumme 0:15 is then stored in navels, management Time 0:00 the fridge or freezer. tagging, etc). Colostrum is tested Kid is born, using a colostrometer. colostrum The colostrum then goes collection is directly into heat-treatment completed with for disease control. Excess 15 minutes. colostrum is then stored in Time 0:00 the fridge or freezer. Kid is born, colostrum collection is completed with 15 minutes. C o l o s t r u m m a n a g e m e n t f o r c o m m e r c i a l g o a t p r o d u c t i o n

Acknowledgements

Ontario Goat wishes to thank all those who contributed to this important industry initiative. Your expertise and willingness to help are greatly appreciated.

Project contributors: Ontario Goat staff Dr. Jocelyn Jansen, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Dr. Paula Menzies, University of Guelph

Photographs: Courtesy of Dirk Boogerd and Kendra Keels, with an additional thank you to all the farms and businesses that helped with the photography for this project.

©2015 by Ontario Goat

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means -- graphic, electronic or mechanical, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any request for photocopying, recording, taping or imputing into information storage and retrieval systems of any part of this book shall be directed in writing to Ontario Goat, 449 Laird Road, Unit 12, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 4W1.

The Ontario Farm Innovation Program is funded through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a federal-provincial- territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of GF2 in Ontario.