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Faunsdale, AL | The post above deseribed the situation in a normal colostrum fed calf or even if it didnt' get colostrum, but it's a couple days old or older.
The newborn calf which has not gotten colostrum or other feed will have a gut lining that is "open". I'm not sure just how it's open, but it is primed to take large molecules through that would not normally be able to get in without being digested first. This is how the calf gets it's immunity from the colostrum, but if you feed colostrum too late, it's just good feed, no immunity passes to calf because the gut is closed. Gut closes down slower if nothing is fed than if the calf gets a small amount of colostrum or other milk. So it's best to feed large amounts of colostrum early and certainly if no colostrum is available, do not feed milk replacer unless there is no chance of getting any colostrum or a colostrum replacement/supplement to mix with the first feeding of milk.
During the time the gut is open to absorb immunoglobulin proteins, bacteria can also get through easily. The navel is also open with connection to the bladder, major veins and arteries, so a real dangerous situation there. Still, I think the oral/gut route of exposure is just as much a danger as the navel.
Calves usually have a perfectly functioning immune system, it's just never been primed to respond to anything, so it's slow to respond. The colostrum passes that priming ability from the dam. Without it, it's common for the calf to have bacteria circulate in it's blood which is bad enough, but the places where they tend to filter out, joints, eyes, heart valves, liver are all subject to damage that will ruin the calf as an economically viable animal if it even survives.
Edited by ccjersey 9/18/2011 09:38
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First Bottle Calf
