Two recent JDS Communications articles highlight that extending colostrum supplementation beyond the first feeding and properly freezing it to maintain its key bioactive components can both maximize the health and productivity of dairy calves
Philadelphia, July 3, 2025 – Colostrum, the vital “first milk” produced from cows after calving, has long been recognized as essential for newborn calf health. While its critical role in immediate immunity is well established, there is growing interest in extending colostrum feeding to boost calf health and performance after their first day of life. Two new JDS Communications articles are shedding light on the science behind these nontraditional extended uses of colostrum and how long producers can store colostrum frozen without compromising quality, ensuring its potency for maximizing calf well-being.
The first study—a narrative review by David L. Renaud, DVM, PhD, and Michael A. Steele, PhD, both of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, explores the effects of supplementing colostrum after the first day of life. “Dairy calves experience high-risk periods outside of the first 24 hours of their lives, and we wanted to understand what recent science can tell us about the impact of nontraditional colostrum use during the first few weeks of a calf’s life, its role in disease treatment, and its application during weaning—all times when a calf could use that extra support,” explained Renaud.
Their review begins by differentiating between colostrum and transition milk, or the milk produced in 2 to 6 days after calving. Both are rich in powerful immune and growth factors, higher levels of fat and protein, as well as bioactive components that are uniquely able to support calf growth, immunity, and the development of a healthy gut microbiome. Its impact on gastrointestinal development is the focus of several recent studies, all of which show that calves fed transition milk show significant intestinal development boosts that ultimately pave the way for better nutrient absorption and overall digestive function. “Several recent studies have explored the connection between extended colostrum or transition milk feeding and gut development, with results demonstrating that it supports a calf's gastrointestinal development and overall health,” said Steele.
Extended transition or colostrum feeding—whether for just a few days or over many weeks—also has carryover effects on calf health and growth performance, with improved health scores, reduced inflammation, and lower incidence of specific pathogens. For example, calves receiving extra colostrum support have shown a lower risk of diarrhea and a lower need for antibiotics, all of which can contribute to improved weight gain and a lower risk of mortality during the critical weaning period.
Beyond preventative measures, the review also uncovers colostrum’s therapeutic potential. Evidence suggests that colostrum supplementation can accelerate recovery from diarrhea, a major health challenge in young calves. In some instances, it has been shown to mitigate clinical signs of diarrhea, and even positively influence growth, leading to a microbiome profile more similar to that of unchallenged calves. There is also emerging evidence, though more limited, of its ability to reduce the odds of respiratory disease.
“Our review makes it clear that we’ve only scratched the surface of colostrum’s uses in supporting calves,” says Renaud. “The science is saying that nontraditional use of colostrum has the potential to enhance gut development, improve health scores, and reduce disease incidence during early life far beyond just the antibody transfer we traditionally think of with colostrum in management.” Their paper made it clear they hope to see additional research in this area with larger sample sizes, varied housing conditions, and especially iso-energetic, iso-nitrogenous diets, which are crucial to solidify these findings and translate them into widespread practical applications.
Caption: Two JDS Communications studies underscore that optimizing colostrum management for calf health involves both strategically extending supplementation beyond the initial feeding and adhering to best practices for frozen storage to preserve the critical bioactive components that deliver those benefits. (Credit: iStock/Ilja Enger-Tsizikov)
But although the uses for colostrum appear to be beneficial for many days or even weeks, colostrum and transition milk are only produced by a dam during the first days and up to a week after calving. That’s where the second article, a study conducted by Trent A. Westhoff, PhD, and Sabine Mann, DVM, PhD, both of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, can help.
“We know freezing colostrum is a common way for farmers to ensure they have high-quality reserves available for each calf, but research didn’t have much to tell us about how freezing might impact overall quality,” said Mann. “We were especially curious to understand how cold storage might impact not just the concentration of the immunoglobulin antibodies responsible for the transfer of passive immunity, but also the growth factors that contribute to the suite of benefits to calves outside of just the first day of life.”
To better understand the answer, Mann and Westhoff, investigated the impact of freezing colostrum at −20°C for up to a year on key components, including immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM), insulin, and bacterial counts. Ten composite colostrum samples were collected from Holstein cows, with portions analyzed fresh and at 4-week intervals over a year after freezing.
The findings reveal important changes over time. While concentrations of IgA and IgM remained stable, IgG, the primary antibody responsible for passive immunity, showed significant reductions of approximately 8% at 32, 44, and 48 weeks of frozen storage compared with fresh colostrum. Insulin concentrations, crucial for intestinal maturation and growth, also saw reductions, notably at 16, 40, 48, and 52 weeks. Interestingly, freezing effectively reduced coliform counts throughout the 52 weeks, though total plate count (the sum of all bacteria) showed more variability. Brix %—or the measure of dissolved solids in the milk—a common on-farm indicator of colostrum quality, also decreased significantly between 4 and 52 weeks of storage.
“The observed reduction in IgG and insulin concentrations after extended freezing highlights the importance of managing frozen colostrum inventory,” adds Westhoff. “While an 8% reduction in IgG might seem small, it could have biological implications, especially for colostrum with borderline initial quality.”
Based on these findings, Mann and Westhoff advise dairy producers to store colostrum at −20°C for a maximum of 32 weeks. Though conservative, this recommendation aims to minimize the risk of a significant decline in the concentration of vital components essential for establishing robust passive immunity and promoting healthy calf development.
These two studies, when considered together, provide practical guidance for dairy farmers, helping them optimize their colostrum management strategies and, in turn, contribute to healthier, more resilient calf populations. Ultimately, maximizing the health and productivity of dairy calves relies not only on recognizing the full scope of colostrum’s capabilities but also on diligently preserving its quality from harvest to feeding.
Notes for editors
The articles are “What can't colostrum do? Exploring the effects of supplementing colostrum after the first day of life: A narrative review,” by David L. Renaud and Michael A. Steele (https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2024-0708) and “Effect of frozen storage of bovine colostrum for up to 1 year on concentrations of immunoglobulins and insulin as well as bacterial counts,” by Trent A. Westhoff and Sabine Mann (https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2024-0731). Both articles appear in JDS Communications, volume 6, issue 3 (May/June 2025), published by ADSA and Elsevier.
The articles are openly available at https://www.jdscommun.org/article/S2666-9102(24)00199-6/fulltext and https://www.jdscommun.org/article/S2666-9102(25)00022-5/fulltext, and the PDF versions are available at https://www.jdscommun.org/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-9102%2824%2900199-6 and https://www.jdscommun.org/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-9102%2825%2900022-5.
Journalists wishing to interview the authors should contact David L. Renaud, DVM, PhD of the
Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, at renaudd@uoguelph.ca, or Sabine Mann, DVM, PhD, of the Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, at sm682@cornell.edu.
About JDS Communications
JDS Communications®, an official journal of the American Dairy Science Association®, is co-published by Elsevier and ADSA. The journal publishes narrowly focused, hypothesis-driven original research studies designed to answer a specific question on the production or processing of milk or milk products intended for human consumption. In addition to short research articles, JDS Communications publishes mini reviews—unsolicited, concise review papers. Research published in this journal is broadly divided into the production of milk from food animals (nutrition, physiology, health, genetics, and management) and processing of milk for human consumption (dairy foods). JDS Communications aims for rapid turnaround and a short time to publication. www.jdscommun.org
About the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA®)
The American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) is an international organization of educators, scientists, and industry representatives who are committed to advancing the dairy industry and keenly aware of the vital role the dairy sciences play in fulfilling the economic, nutritive, and health requirements of the world’s population. It provides leadership in scientific and technical support to sustain and grow the global dairy industry through generation, dissemination, and exchange of information and services. Together, ADSA members have discovered new methods and technologies that have revolutionized the dairy industry.www.adsa.org
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