Benefits Of Feeding Transition Milk To Calves

Nutritional management in the first week of life can have a major impact on calf health, gastrointestinal development, growth, and performance. Improvements made in these areas may have a positive effect on future productivity.

NUTRIENT CONTENT

Transition milk contains many of the same bioactive compounds as colostrum, but in lower levels, and has been found to have a positive impact on calf health and gut development. Due to the fact that harvesting and managing transition milk is difficult, many bottle-fed calves miss out on receiving any transition milk as they are typically switched abruptly from colostrum to whole milk or milk replacer.

Fat in colostrum and transition milk is very important as it is the major energy source for the calf. Fat fuels metabolism, thermoregulation, and stimulates secretion of gut development hormones. The proportion of fatty acids changes with each milking.  When compared to whole milk, colostrum and transition milk are higher in both Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids which play a role in the inflammatory and immune response of the calf.

Oligosaccharides (OS) are considered to be one of the major prebiotic compounds in colostrum and transition milk. These small polymers of indigestible simple sugars aid in establishing beneficial gut microbiota after the calf is born. Bovine OS have also been shown to inhibit common diarrhea causing pathogens and have a positive influence on the immune system. Additionally, the sialic acid portion of OS may enhance the uptake of IgG by the intestine.

RESEARCH RESULTS

A recent study published in the Journal of Dairy Science showed that feeding transition milk stimulates intestinal development. Calves fed transition milk were compared to those abruptly transitioned to milk replacer. Findings included:

• Greater villi length.
• Greater villi width.
• Increased mucosal thickness.
• Increased submucosal thickness.
• Greater villi to crypt ratio.
• Greater epithelial cell proliferation in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.
• Improved health scores.
• Elevated IgG blood concentrations.
• Increased number of T cells in the ileal epithelium.
• Increased average daily gain.

Some of the increased gut development may be due to the fact that calves fed transition milk received a greater intake of energy, protein, and fat.  Part of the improvements are also likely contributed by the presence of the bioactive compounds found in transition milk. The researchers also speculated that the improved intestinal development and health would have long lasting effects and enhance health and growth of the animal for most of the first 3 critical weeks of life.

APPLICATION

If feeding transition milk is possible to do on your farm, it may be advisable to do so!  The recent recommendation from NASEM (2021, p. 232) is to feed transition milk at least for days 2 and 3 of life if possible.

It is not logistically possible for every farm to feed transition milk, and that poses the question, “Is there a way to supplement the calf with similar bioactive compounds to those found in colostrum, to gain the benefit of maximized gut development, health, and growth?”

Time will tell, as we need more research on this topic, but it is an exciting question to think about!

Sources:

New Concepts in Calf Nutrition: The First Week of Life

p149-160-Steele-WCDS2020-NewConceptsInCalfNutrition.pdf (ualberta.ca)

Transition Milk Stimulates Intestinal Development of Neonatal Holstein Calves

10. Dairy Sci. 105:7011–7022 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21723

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.