How to Produce Colostrum for Calves

When you are raising calves, you should give attention on the feed that you provide as it determines the healthiness of your calves. As has been described by the previous article, colostrum is one of calf feed that you should give since its birth. Every cow farmer should know and understand how to make a colostrum. This article will describe in detail how to produce colostrum for your calves.

The Benefit of Colostrum for Calves

Before we step in to the how to-procedure, you should know the benefits of colostrum which makes it so important for your calves. Similar to mother’s milk in human, colostrum ensures a normal condition in a calf’s growth process. Other benefits of colostrum is to improve body immunity, to help it defecates its meconium (its first metabolic waste product), to provide a supply of energy, and to support the organ growth and development within a calf body.

How to Produce Colostrum for Calves

Colostrum by nature is provided by the mother cow’s milk. However in a certain condition, sometimes the mother cow cannot produce colostrum which could affect its growth and development. To maintain a normal growth for your calves, you can make it by your own from natural ingredients. Below is the procedure to make your own colostrum.

Required ingredients

To make 5 liters of artificial colostrum, at least you need the following ingredients:

• 40 grams of sugar
• 40 ml of original honey
• 80 ml of fish oil
• 2.5 kg of full cream milk
• 5 chicken eggs
• 5 liters of clean and sterile water

The production steps

After all ingredients have been prepared and properly scaled according to the correct composition, the making process can be described as follow:

1. Boil 4.5 liters of water until cooked to sterilize it inside a non-metal container (e.g. enamel) and let it rest until the temperature reaches 40 degree Celsius.
2. Prepare all 5 eggs and whisk to mix the yolk and the egg whites.
3. Add one by one all the prepared ingredients based on the order starting from milk, eggs, and the other ingredients can be added after the milk and the eggs have been well mixed.
4. After all ingredients have been mixed uniformly, the artificial colostrum is ready to be served.
5. Artificial colostrum can be given to your calves as much as 4.5 liters three times a day.

Now that you know how to produce colostrum to your calves by yourself, you need no worry in case the mother cow cannot produce by its own. Artificial colostrum is needed to maintain a balanced nutrition for the growth and development of your calves.