Transfer Factor In Calf Rearing

Transfer Factor In Calf Rearing

Immunity and Diseases of Calves
Calves attain an immune profile from their dams. This profile depends on the diseases to which the dam has been exposed and generally covers them for the first 12 weeks of their lives whilst they build up their own immune system based on their own experiences and environment.

The ability of the dam to transfer this immune profile to the calf is limited to a very short window of opportunity. The gut of the new born calf allows IgG of the cow to pass into the blood to provide this immune protection, but as early as 4 hours after birth the process is slowing and within 24 hours the calf is no longer able to take in IgG from the dam.

It has become a well-established fact that between 25% to 30% of calves that are reared for the beef market, are immune deficient at the time of entering the calf rearing facility. This relates directly to these calves not getting adequate colostrum in the first 24 hours of life and dramatically influences their survivability during their first 12 weeks of life.

Many processes and procedures have been investigated to try and boost the calf's ability to resist disease through this early part of its life. These include treatment of the cow and/or calf to provide specific antibodies to the calf. These treatments tend to be expensive and disease strain specific so they do not improve the calves general immune status and ability to resist disease.

Transfer Factor
Transfer Factor is a molecule in the colostrum which holds the immune footprint of the dam producing that colostrum. In nature it is able to cross through the intestine into the blood stream and does help in boosting the immune system of the calf, which is why colostrum fed to calves can help in disease prevention and treatment. However the quantities absorbed in this way are small and the influence on the immune system insufficient to counter the level of challenge.

Transfer factor has now been isolated from the colostral milk of recently calved cows. This is provided in a powdered form and can be added to the milk of newborn calves to boost their immune status. The cows providing the colostrum have been exposed to most of the know conditions affecting calves so will pass this protection to treated calves. The degree of increase in immune status is dose dependant ­ the more given the greater the boost to the immune system. There are no know side effects and there is no possibility of over dosing. The Transfer Factor provided to the calves will pass into the blood stream and will boost the calf's immune defences as determined by the immune imprint provided by the cow. The boost to the immune system is however only transient and is not able to replicate the process of immune development provided by the dam in the first 24 hours of life. It will provide a transient increase in immunity which is dose dependent. The effect is real and will cause an increase in lymphocyte production by the treated calves.

Treatment with Transfer Factor for the first few weeks of life will boost the calf's general ability to resist disease challenge. This will dramatically improve the survival chances of calves which are immune deficient at time of entering the calf raring facility and will improve health and performance of all treated calves.

Dose
As a preventative supplement.
400mg twice daily for first 10 days.
This can be added to milk but should be pre-dissolved in warm water (about 1 tsp per 10 calves). If only feeding once per day give single dose of 800mg.

To treat calves showing illness.
1200mg twice daily for 5 days, then drop back to supplement dose.
This is not to replace treatment recommendations provided by health professionals, but can be used with any therapeutic agents and will assist in the recovery process.

In the case of acute infection or disease seek professional assistance or follow advice as provided by your veterinarian.

Hugh Jellie BVSc MRCVS
Hugh Jellie Veterinary Consultant

Read Testimonials about Animals who were given Transfer factor