Efficacy of dried colostrum powders in the prevention of diarrhea in neonatal Holstein calves

One hundred and twenty healthy Holstein calves were assigned randomly at birth to one of four groups; each group contained 30 calves and the calves were received as follows: group A, 85 ± 5 g of lyophilized colostrum powder dissolved in 3 kg of whole milk; group B, 85 ± 5 g of spray-dried colostrum powder dissolved in 3 kg of whole milk; group C, 750 ml frozen and thawed colostrum in 3 kg of whole milk, and group D, only 3 kg of whole milk without colostrum supplement. Each group was subdivided into 3 sub-groups of 10 calves as follows: calves fed colostrum supplement at 24 or 48 or 72 h after birth. All calves fed fresh colostrum within 6 h after birth at the amount of 5% of BW by bottle. Calves which were fed lyophilized colostrum supplement had a significant lower incidence of diarrhea in comparison to control calves. In addition, calves were received lyophilized colostrum supplement at 24 h after birth showed less incidence of diarrhea than calves fed the supplement at 48 and 72 h. According to the results of present study providing lyophilized colostrum supplement at 24 h after birth might have been preventive effect on calf diarrhea. The spray-dried colostrum supplement had not the same effect.