The importance of colostrum to the health of the neonatal calf.

Colostrum feeding is the means by which newborn calves acquire passive immunity to infectious agents. The ability of the newborn calf to absorb colostral antibodies is limited to the first few hours of life. In most cases, natural suckling from the dam is the best method for beef-breed calves to obtain optimum passive immune protection, but in some cases intervention and hand feeding are indicated. The details of when and how to intervene in the passive transfer process are discussed.