Thinking About Babies and What They Eat

I was watching my teenage boys at the dinner table the other night and I got to thinking about the cotyledonary synepitheliochorial bovine placenta. Just kidding! I was thinking about how our boys’ eating habits have changed over the years, from mammary fed to bottle-fed to the incredible ravenous machines that sit before me. Amazing … and expensive! Those kids can eat!

Speaking of the cotyledonary synepitheliochorial bovine placenta, it turns out that this placenta inhibits the transfer of maternal antibodies, making the ingestion of high-quality colostrum all more important. I recently bumped into Dr. Westhoff who last year published a study on the factors that influence colostrum production and composition in dairy cows. He told me that newborn dairy calves rely on their mom to feed them high-quality colostrum with low bacterial contamination. This allows for the transfer of passive immunity along with nutrients and other bioactive components.

Beyond passive immunity, initial colostrum is like a long-term investment in your dairy calves’ future. Think of it as the secret sauce for their health, growth, and that all-important first milk production.

However, some things to keep in mind are colostrum has its good days and bad days. Seasonal changes, individual quirks, and different management styles can all shake up its yield and composition. Colostrum likes to keep things interesting!

If you feed your newborn calves 8.5% to 10% of their body weight in top-notch colostrum within the first few hours of birth it’s the golden ticket to healthy, happy calves that will grow strong and productive.

I think my teenage boys eat 85% to 100% of their body weight every night at dinner!

Interested in reading the full research? You can find it here.