Published in the Jameson Journal, July 2026

In the UK, 1 in 20 calves die before they are three months old.

To give the calf the best start in life, it is imperative to ensure they receive 3 litres of high-quality colostrum within the first 2 hours of life, with an equal amount fed by 12 hours.

Quality matters

The quality of the colostrum should be checked using a Brix refractometer or colostrum balls. When using a Brix refractometer, colostrum should contain at least 50g/L of IgG, and colostrum with an IgG level below 20g/L should not be used.

Colostrum quality declines after 6 hours as it becomes contaminated with bacteria, so it is important that it is collected and stored in clean, hygienic conditions. Think of the care you would take when feeding a newborn baby and apply the same principles when caring for a newborn calf.

Timing is critical

How the colostrum is fed is crucial to success. It should be fed at 38 °C as soon as possible after birth, as the calf will lose the ability to absorb the antibodies, especially after the first 10 hours of life.

Why the feeding method matters

The ideal way to feed the colostrum is by bottle, which promotes its passage to the calf’s true stomach via the espohageal groove. The calf is born a simple stomach animal, just like a piglet or a human baby and over the period of 6 months, it develops into a ruminant able to ferment and digest forages. The espohageal groove is a fold of skin that opens and closes as the calf suckles, directing colostrum to the abomasum and small intestine, where antibodies are absorbed.

Bottle feeding mimics feeding from the mother’s teat. The bottle should be positioned at a height and angle that allows the calf to stretch up and suckle as it would from its mother. This method is preferable to stomach tubing, as when tubing, the colostrum is deposited at the junction of the rumen, reticulum and omasum. This means it takes longer to reach the intestine, delaying transit time by 2 to 4 hours at a critical time when the antibody absorption falls rapidly within three hours of birth.

The benefits of controlled feeding

Feeding technique is important for the calf, as fast-flowing milk, incorrect head positioning or calves drinking from buckets can lead to espohageal groove malfunction and milk entering the rumen. Milk ferments in the rumen, leading to acidosis, bloat and nutritional diarrhoea. When milk flow is controlled, the calf produces saliva with a pH of 8.2, which helps buffer the acidic milk (pH 6.7) to aid digestion.

The saliva also contains antimicrobials, lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase, which suppress pathogens. Feed speed directly affects saliva production and calf behaviour, especially cross-sucking. A calf must suckle for nine minutes to feel satisfied. If the milk is consumed too quickly, its suckling instinct is not met, and so it will suckle its mates. To avoid cross-sucking, use teats that maintain drinking speed between three and four minutes per litre.

Studies have shown improvements in average daily liveweight gain of 16-22% when calves are switched from buckets to controlled-flow teats.

Call 01765 689666 to talk to your Jameson Feed Advisor to find out more.