Today at the farm I took a considerable amount of time reading through an extensive PowerPoint presentation all about colostrum management. One of my personal goals for the farm while I am working here this summer is to help improve our current colostrum management. Some of the new strategies we will start implementing will involve the usage of a brix refractometer. This instrument will allow us to test and estimate the levels of immunoglobulins that are present within the colostrum and an ideal reading for a good quality colostrum will be 22 or higher. At 22 this would roughly represent 50mg/ml immunoglobulins which is great news for the calf and will act as a baseline requirement to feed and freeze. Yes, colostrum can be preserved for later uses in special storage bags in the freezer. Calves start their life with a very low immune system so colostrum is very important to give them the boost that they need. This lovely little lady received colostrum with a brix reading of 35+ because the colostrum was so excellent that the brix refractometers scale could not read it, how incredible.
Today we shipped 5,504 gallons of milk and had one new heifer calf (the one in the picture!).
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