Effect of colostrum immunoglobulin concentration on early growth performance in dairy heifersAbstract
The study was conducted on the farms “Aiteke Bi-SK” and “Kedr”, which maintain some of the best dairy cattle herds in Kazakhstan. According to the results, the qualitative parameters of colostrum from cows in the experimental group were superior to those of the control group, particularly in fat content. For example, in “Aiteke Bi-SK”, the difference in fat content reached 1.38% (P<0.001), and in “Kedr” – 1.34% (P<0.001). Feeding newborn calves with colostrum rich in immunoglobulins led to an increase in body weight by 2.1 kg (P<0.001) on day 10 of life in the first farm compared to the control group and by 2.0 kg (P<0.001) in the second farm. The magnitude of treatment effect was large (Cohen’s d≥2.0), indicating strong biological relevance of colostrum immunoglobulin concentration on early growth. It was found that the absolute, average daily, and relative growth rate between the experimental and control heifers differed by 1.8-1.9 kg (P<0.01), 180-190 g/day (P<0.05) and 4.8-5.0% (P<0.001), respectively.
Keywords:
Simmental breed; dairy calves; colostrum; immunoglobulin G; passive immunity; Brix scale
Resumo
O estudo foi realizado nas fazendas "Aiteke Bi-SK" e "Kedr", que mantêm alguns dos melhores rebanhos de gado leiteiro do Cazaquistão. De acordo com os resultados, os parâmetros qualitativos do colostro das vacas do grupo experimental foram superiores aos do grupo controle, particularmente no teor de gordura. Por exemplo, em "Aiteke Bi-SK", a diferença no teor de gordura atingiu 1,38% (p<0,001), e em "Kedr", essa diferença foi 1,34% (p<0,001). A alimentação de bezerros recém-nascidos com colostro rico em imunoglobulinas levou a um aumento no peso corporal em 2,1 kg (P<0,001) no dia 10 de vida na primeira fazenda em comparação com o grupo controle, e em 2,0 kg (P<0,001) na segunda fazenda. A magnitude do efeito do tratamento foi grande (d de Cohen≥2,0), indicando forte relevância biológica da concentração de imunoglobulina do colostro no crescimento inicial. Verificou-se que a taxa de crescimento absoluta, média diária e relativa entre as novilhas experimentais e controle diferiram em 1,8-1,9 kg (P<0,01), 180-190 g/dia (P<0,05) e 4,8-5,0% (P<0,001), respectivamente.
Palavras-chave:
raça Simental; bezerros leiteiros; colostro; imunoglobulina G; imunidade passiva; escala Brix
1. Introduction
The volume and quality of colostrum received from the cow must supply the calf with essential nutrients and ensure passive immunity. Calves receiving an adequate amount of high-quality colostrum under proper sanitary conditions demonstrate rapid growth and improved health status (McCarthy et al., 2022; Stephansen et al., 2025; Dallago et al., 2024).
Most studies on colostrum feeding in calves focus primarily on short-term effects (7-10 days), while increasing evidence suggests prolonged colostrum feeding positively influences growth performance and immune development (Micinski et al., 2017; Makarov, 2023; Huang et al., 2024).
Therefore, the assessment of factors that disrupt proper digestion in neonatal calves – leading to weight loss – remains a highly relevant issue for the agro-industrial sector of Kazakhstan.
Proper management practices – specifically feeding calves at least 4.0 liters of high-quality colostrum (i.e., with an immunoglobulin G concentration ≥50.0 g/L within the first 6 hours of life) – are essential to ensure the minimum level of passive immunity required for protection against infectious diseases (Lora et al., 2019).
A common problem on many farms, including those in Kazakhstan, is an insufficient supply of high-quality colostrum. To address this issue, colostrum is commonly frozen for later use in feeding calves during the first few hours after birth.
The optimal threshold for passive immunity transfer in calves was found to be 2.9 times higher in those that received colostrum with a Brix value ≥24.5% compared to those that received <24%.
It has been established that the Brix refractometer provides a reliable estimation of IgG concentration in bovine colostrum at first milking. Both digital and optical Brix refractometers demonstrate acceptable sensitivity. A Brix value equal to or exceeding 22% is considered an appropriate threshold, indicating high-quality colostrum. In the present study, this threshold was adopted to classify colostrum quality in accordance with previously validated IgG estimations (Quigley et al., 2013; Kargar et al., 2020).
For a newborn calf, it is crucial to receive colostrum within the first few hours of life, as it contains antibodies that help strengthen the immune system. During the first 2 hours after birth, the calf should be fed approximately 4-5% of its body weight in colostrum – typically around 2 to 2.5 liters. Thus, immediately after birth, the digestive system of the calf functions as that of a monogastric animal, as the only fully developed and functioning compartment is the abomasum. As a result, only liquid feeds can be digested by the calf during its first few days of life (Furman-Fratczak et al., 2011; Gaillard and Abarnou, 2024; Gorlov et al., 2021).
Prolonged colostrum feeding has been shown to positively influence growth performance and the health condition of calves. It has been observed that calves with varying birth weights show significant differences in live weight up to 5 months’ age, although these differences tend to level out after 6 months (Morin et al., 2021).
The findings of these studies have contributed to the intensive rearing of young stock, which in turn has enabled the earlier inclusion of replacement heifers into main herd and allowed for more efficient utilization of animals (Agustinho et al., 2024).
In Ireland, 90% dairy producers store frozen colostrum, and in North America, colostrum is stored on 89% large dairy farms. Storing colostrum at higher temperatures leads to an increase in bacterial counts and a decrease in pH, but does not affect IgG concentration in colostrum (Cuttance et al., 2019).
Periodic heat treatment of colostrum at 60°C for 30 minutes reduces bacterial levels while maintaining the concentration and viscosity of IgG. No adverse effects on calf health parameters have been observed in calves fed heat-treated colostrum (Pazoki et al., 2017).
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of colostrum quality on the growth performance of Simmental dairy calves.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study design and experimental sites
The subjects of this study were Simmental breed calves from birth to two months’ age, raised at limited liability partnership "Aiteke Bi-SK" and peasant farm "Kedr", where a bank was established using colostrum collected from cows of various ages.
Research was conducted in sequence. Before freezing, colostrum was tested with a refractometer to determine immunoglobulin content. The established colostrum bank, consisting of milk from cows of different ages, was stored in plastic bottles with a volume of 1.5-2 liters in freezers at a temperature -18 to -20°C (Abeni et al., 2019).
The quality of colostrum was assessed by its protein content using refractmetric method. The storage duration of frozen colostrum in the experiment did not exceed one year. The first feeding of calves was carried out with fresh colostrum within the first few hours after birth, due to the high permeability of the intestinal wall for immunoglobulins and other biologically active substances.
2.2. Colostrum administration protocol
Each calf received 4.0 L of colostrum within the first 6 hours after birth, divided into two feedings of 2.0 L each. During the first 48 hours of life, calves received three colostrum feedings per day. Colostrum was administered using a nipple bottle; if voluntary intake was insufficient, an esophageal tube was used to ensure complete administration of the required volume (Table 1).
2.3. Modified feeding scheme and group formation
The modified feeding scheme during the milk-feeding period included controlled milk volumes, feeding frequency, and duration adjusted to support optimal growth and metabolic stability in experimental heifers.
If necessary, thawed colostrum from the bank was used. The colostrum was thawed evenly at a temperature of 40-50°C to prevent separation. Feeding was done using a bottle with a nipple. However, not every calf is able to drink the required volume of colostrum on its own. In cases of high calving frequency and to ensure full immune support for the newborn calves, drenching was used – where the required volume of colostrum was administered directly into calf's mouth (Gorelik, 2016; Afanasyeva, 2021).
Pre-thawed colostrum sorted by immunoglobulin content (measured using Brix scale) was used for feeding calves. Initially, colostrum from 100 newly calved mature cows (first milking) was selected and frozen in 1.5-liter containers.
In each of the base farms, two groups (experimental and control) heifer calves were formed immediately after birth: in "Aiteke Bi-SK" – 10 animals per group, and in "Kedr" – 15 animals per group. Calves were fed colostrum with different immunoglobulins levels. Experimental and control groups were formed using the method of analogs, considering birth weight, dam parity, and calving period. Within these criteria, calves were randomly assigned to groups to minimize selection bias. Experimental group was fed colostrum with a refractometer Brix reading 22% or higher, equivalent to an immunoglobulin concentration 50 G/L or more. Control group calves were fed colostrum with a Brix reading from 20% to 22%, corresponding to an immunoglobulin concentration 25-49 G/L (Liu et al., 2020; Kamyab-Fard et al.,2023).
2.4. Biochemical analysis
To conduct the biochemical analysis, blood samples were collected from 50 calves up to 6 months of age. The activity of alkaline phosphatase, levels of urea, magnesium, phosphorus, total protein, cholesterol, albumin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), as well as glucose concentration in blood serum, were determined using Statfax-3300 biochemical analyzer with reagent kits from "Diakon" and "Vector-Best".
Calcium in blood serum was determined using a complexometric method with fluorexon indicator according to the method of Vichev and Karakashev. The content of globulins and protein index were calculated mathematically. The De Ritis ratio was determined by calculating the ratio of AST to ALT.
2.5. Ethical approval
All experimental procedures complied with international guidelines for the care and use of agricultural animals in research and were approved by the Local Ethics Committee on Animal Experimentation of West Kazakhstan Innovation and Technology University (Approval No. 12/2024, 15 March 2024).
2.6. Growth assessment and statistical analysis
A comparative analysis of the growth intensity of heifers in experimental and control groups was carried out using selection-genetic parameters (Sadykulov et al., 2014).
Data were analyzed using STATISTICA 13.3 (TIBCO Software Inc., USA). Normality of distribution was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, and homogeneity of variances was evaluated using Levene’s test.
Due to differences in management systems between farms, statistical analyses were performed separately within each farm. Independent two-tailed Student’s t-tests were used to compare experimental and control groups.
Effect size was calculated using Cohen’s d to estimate the magnitude of treatment effect. Results are presented as mean ±SEM. Differences were considered significant at P<0.05.
3. Results
To identify the patterns of postnatal ontogenesis and subsequent development productive traits in animals, the study of growth and development characteristics at different ages holds significant scientific and practical importance. It is known that the individual development of an animal results from complex interaction between its genotype and specific feeding and housing conditions under which its genetic potential is expressed.
Scientific research was conducted at farms in North Kazakhstan region: LLP "Aiteke Bi-SK" Mamlyut district and PF "Kedr" Akkayin district. For calf feeding, pre-frozen colostrum was used, sorted by the amount of immunoglobulins determined using Brix scale. One and a half to two months before start experiment, colostrum was collected from newly calved cows. A physico-chemical analysis of the colostrum composition was carried out and is presented in Table 2.
The quality indicators of colostrum from dam’s calves in experimental groups were higher than those in control groups. This was especially noticeable in fat content. In "Aiteke Bi-SK", the difference in this parameter reached 1.38% (P<0.001), and in "Kedr" – 1.34% (P<0.001). No significant differences were found in other parameters.
Based on the quality assessment of colostrum from dams, thawed colostrum was fed to heifer calves born during this period. The results of study are presented in Table 3.
Feeding newborn calves with colostrum rich in immunoglobulins led to an increase in heifers’ body weight by 2.1 and 2.0 kg on the 10th day of life compared to the control group (P<0.001).
Variability in growth intensity between experimental groups during colostrum period is presented in Table 4.
It was found that the difference in absolute body weight gain between experimental and control groups in "Aiteke Bi-SK" was 1.8 kg (P<0.001), and in "Kedr" – 1.9 kg (P<0.001). A similar trend was observed for average daily and relative gains. Thus, in studied period, average daily gain in experimental group heifers from "Aiteke Bi-SK" was 180 g higher than control group (P<0.05), and in "Kedr" – 190 g higher (P<0.05). The magnitude of treatment effect was large in both farms (Cohen’s d=2.1 in "Aiteke Bi-SK" and d=2.0 in "Kedr"). Relative gain is an indicator that allows assessing the effectiveness of feeding and animal care in percentage terms. According to this indicator, the difference in heifers of the experimental group was 4.8 and 5% (P<0.001), respectively.
These results indicate that colostrum containing more than 22% Brix is associated with improved early growth performance.
To monitor the growth and development of calves, it is necessary to regularly perform blood analysis for biochemical indicators (Table 5-6). In case of abrupt changes in the diet composition, such analysis allows detecting early (preclinical) changes in metabolism and taking timely, effective measures to correct diet adequacy and eliminate metabolic disorders.
The main indicator of carbohydrate metabolism is the blood glucose concentration, primarily glucose. Glucose is an important, although not the only, source of energy for ruminants. For ruminants, the source of carbohydrates is fiber (hay, silage, haylage). In rumen, during fiber breakdown, glucose is formed. Despite the continuous removal of glucose from blood, its level in animals remains stable. Blood glucose level in Simmental calves ranges from 2.8 to 4.1 mmol/L. An elevated glucose level may result from feeding calves large amounts hay or administering various medications.
The assessment of protein nutrition in cows through protein metabolism is carried out by determining the content of total protein, protein fractions, and urea in blood. Total protein level in animals’ blood depends not only on level protein intake but also on age and liver’s capacity to synthesize certain metabolites.
Total protein content varies from 57 to 68 G/L, while the limit of permissible physiological normal range makes up – 62.0-82.0 G/L. A slight decrease in total protein levels in blood serum may occur during the intensive growth phase of calves, when most protein is used for building new cells. A slight deficiency in serum albumin concentration was also observed, but with corresponding normal range being – 27.0-41.0 G/L. The globulin content in serum also does not go beyond what is required – 32.0-41.0 G/L.
To more accurately assess the level of protein metabolism in replacement young stock, albumin-to-globulin ratio (protein index) was calculated. In our study, this value ranged from 0.74 to 0.81 (with normal – 0.6-0.92).
Alanine aminotransferase – ALT values ranged from 12.8 to 27.4 U/L (with normal – 6.9-35.3 U/L) and Aspartate aminotransferase – AST levels were between 52.5 and 78.8 U/L (with normal – 45.3-110.2 U/L). The De Ritis ratio (AST/ALT) ranged approximately from 2.7 to 4.1 across groups. Elevated AST/ALT (De Ritis) ratios observed in calves are consistent with age-related metabolic characteristics of early postnatal development and do not indicate hepatic pathology under the studied conditions.
Urea level in blood samples from Simmental calves ranged from 3.0 to 4.9 mmol/L, Cholesterol – 2.3-3.7 mmol/L (with normal – 1.6-5.0 mmol/L), Bilirubin – 1.7-4.9 mmol/L and Alkaline phosphatase – 392-554 U/L.
Calcium levels in heifers from both farms corresponded to physiological norm – 2.1-2.5 mmol/L. The main method of controlling calcium concentration is maintaining calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, which should be 1.4-2.0:1.0.
Summarizing results of the blood biochemical analysis, it can be concluded that physiological response experimental heifers are subject to various influencing factors, and certain indicators may require adjustment.
To optimize calf-rearing technology, based on chemical analysis blood serum, we proposed a feeding scheme for milk in "Aiteke Bi-SK" and "Kedr" for calves from birth to 2 months’ age.
There were no significant differences in body weight between newborn calves both groups. It was found that proposed feeding scheme for experimental group heifers had a highly significant impact on the intensity of their growth.
4. Discussion
Most studies on feeding colostrum to calves are mainly aimed at studying the effects of feeding for a short period of up to 7-10 days, which is also called the preventive period. However, a group of scientists from Europe and Iran (Tozer and Heinrichs, 2001) suggested that prolonged colostrum feeding has a positive effect on the growth and health of calves.
When discussing the results of conducted research, following points can be noted. Physico-chemical analysis showed that the qualitative characteristics of colostrum mother cows calves of the experimental groups are higher than those of the control groups. This is especially true for fat content. So, in "Aiteke Bi-SK" LLP, the difference in this indicator was 1.38% (P<0.001), in "Kedr" PF – 1.34% (P<0.001). There were no noticeable differences in other parameters. Based on the determination of colostrum quality mother cows, we carried out the feeding of thawed colostrum to heifers born during this period.
It was found that in "Aiteke Bi-SK", feeding newborn calves colostrum with a high content of immunoglobulins increased the body weight of heifers on the 10th day of life by 2.1 kg (P<0.001) compared with control group. In "Kedr", this difference was 2.0 kg (P<0.001). Our data are confirmed by the research results of other scientists (Brickell and Wathes, 2011).
G. Zanton and J. Heinrichs studied and analyzed published over past 15 years related to the growth of Holstein heifers worldwide. They found that growing heifers with an average daily gain of 785-800 g in the prenatal period (2 to 10 months’ age) had highest milk production during first lactation (Zanton and Heinrichs, 2005).
Researchers found that the optimal threshold for transmission of passive immunity in calves was 2.9 times higher in calves receiving colostrum ≥24.5% than in calves receiving colostrum <24% on Brix scale.
The digestive system of a calf immediately after birth functions like an animal with one stomach, since the only fully developed and functioning compartment is the abomasum. As a result, only liquid feed can be absorbed by calf's body at the age of several days. 90% Irish dairy producers store frozen colostrum, while in North America colostrum is usually stored on 89% large dairy farms. Storing colostrum at higher temperatures leads to an increase in the number of bacteria and a decrease in pH, but does not affect the concentration of IgG in colostrum (Morrill et al., 2012).
According to a study by some authors (Hill et al., 2012), periodic heat treatment of high-quality colostrum at a temperature of 60°C for 30 minutes reduces the concentration of bacteria and preserves the concentration and viscosity of IgG. Calves fed with thermally treated colostrum had no negative effects on health or growth parameters.
The effect of colostrum on neonatal dairy calves has been thoroughly studied. However, most experiments mainly focus on the role of immunoglobulins in providing passive immunity, with relatively few studies examining the contribution of maternal immune cells transferred through colostrum or the broader effect of colostrum on development of the neonatal immune system. Although immune cellular markers were not directly measured in this study, previous research suggests that colostrum-derived immunoglobulins and bioactive compounds may influence early immune and metabolic adaptation. Although immune cellular markers were not directly measured in the present study, previous research indicates that insufficient colostrum intake may activate compensatory immune pathways and increase inflammatory responses in neonatal calves. In addition to immunoglobulin G, colostrum contains bioactive compounds that may contribute to early immune and metabolic adaptation (Cid et al., 2025; Carter et al., 2022).
In addition to elevated levels of proteins, fats, and key vitamins and minerals, colostrum contains a complex mix of bioactive molecules, including immunoglobulins, cytokines, hormones, miRNAs and maternal white blood cells, which are critical for protecting newborns, developing immunity and maturing the gastrointestinal tract. Although the role of immunoglobulins in passive protection is well known, much less is known about how other bioactive colostrum components, such as immune cells and growth factors, affect development of the neonatal immune system. This study provides new insights into this little-studied topic.
The globulin fraction of proteins, based on immunoglobulins, once in the calf's body, form "temporary" immunity, thereby providing protection from the negative effects of environment and pathogenic microflora.
According to the variability of growth intensity between groups of experimental animals during the colostrum period, it was found that the difference in absolute weight gain in "Aiteke Bi-SK" between experimental and control groups was 1.8 kg (P<0.001), in "Kedr" – 1.9 kg (P<0.001). According to average daily and relative increases over study period, same pattern was revealed, that is, the indicators of heifers the experimental group of "Aiteke Bi-SK" were higher than in control group by 180 g (P<0.05), 4.8% (P<0.001) and in "Kedr" – 190 g (P<0.05), 5% (P<0.001), respectively. Thus, the dynamics of body weight gains in experimental heifers during dairy period allows us to draw a reliable conclusion that colostrum, which contains an immunoglobulin content of more than 22% on the Brix scale, contributes to better development.
In order to monitor the growth and development of calves, it is necessary to regularly conduct a blood test for biochemical parameters. In case of a sudden change in the composition of the diet, analysis makes it possible to identify early (preclinical) changes in metabolism and take timely, effective measures to adjust usefulness diets and eliminate metabolic disorders.
Summarizing the results of biochemical blood tests, it can be stated that a change in the feeding pattern of calves during dairy period has a noticeable effect on growth and development characteristics. It was revealed that the newborn young of studied groups have no noticeable differences in body weight, and this is quite natural, since when tested, groups should be identical. It was revealed that proposed feeding scheme for heifers had a highly significant effect on the intensity of their growth, which coincides with the results of scientific work by a number authors (Feng et al., 2023).
The beneficial effects of high-quality colostrum are associated not only with immunoglobulin G transfer but also with bioactive compounds that support gastrointestinal maturation and early immune programming.
Limitations of the present study include relatively small sample size, absence of morbidity data, and statistical analysis conducted separately at farm level without multifactorial modeling.
5. Conclusions
Based on the results of this study, the following conclusions can be drawn: analysis of the qualitative characteristics of colostrum showed that the colostrum of cows from experimental groups had higher quality indicators compared to control groups. This was particularly evident in fat content: in "Aiteke Bi-SK", where difference was 1.38% (P<0.001), and in "Kedr" – 1.34% (P<0.001).
It was established that feeding newborn calves with colostrum containing high levels of immunoglobulins in "Aiteke Bi-SK" led to an increase in body weight by 2.1 kg on the 10th day of life compared to control group, and in "Kedr" – 2.0 kg.
It was found that modifying the feeding scheme of experimental heifers during milk period had a significant effect on growth dynamics. Implementation of structured colostrum quality control protocols may improve early growth performance and biological efficiency in dairy herds.
Acknowledgements
This research was funded by the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant No. BR24992892 – "Science-based methods increasing the productivity of dairy cattle based on development innovative feeding protocols and intensification technology raising young animals").
Data Availability Statement
Research data are available only upon request to corresponding author.
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Edited by
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Editor:
Takako Matsumura Tundisi
