Influence of Colostrum Pasteurization on Immunity Transfer and Performance in Nursing Dairy Calves

Abstract

The development of productive parameters in nursing female calves is linked to colostrum supply and the acquisition of passive immunity. This study evaluated the effect of pasteurization (60 °C/60 minutes) on immunity transfer at 24 h after birth, and productive parameters at 30 and 60 days of age, including weight, height at the withers, average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), dry matter intake (DMI), and duration of diarrhea. Twenty female calves of Holstein, Brown Swiss, and crossbreeds were divided into two treatments. The control group received 4L of non-pasteurized colostrum (>70 mg IgG/mL) on the first day of life, followed by transition milk for the next three days. The experimental group received pasteurized colostrum (>70 mg IgG/mL) on the same conditions. The immunity at 24 h was higher in calves that received pasteurized colostrum (9.70 g/dL) compared to those that received non-pasteurized colostrum (7.40 g/dL). Calves fed pasteurized colostrum achieved a final weight gain of 39.40 kg, compared to 34.90 kg in the group that received non-pasteurized colostrum. The height gain was 14.60 cm for pasteurized and 12.10 cm for non-pasteurized. The ADG was 0.65 kg/day for pasteurized versus 0.58 kg/day for unpasteurized. The FCR was 1.76 for pasteurized and 1.94 for non-pasteurized. The DFI was 1.14 kg/day for pasteurized colostrum and 1.10 kg/day for unpasteurized colostrum. The duration of diarrhea was 5.4 days for pasteurized and 2.4 days for non-pasteurized. These findings highlight the importance of colostrum pasteurization in improving the health and growth of nursing calves.