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Your Grober team is excited to be offering the Grober Young Animal Development Centre (GYADC) for educational tours.

(check out the centre )

We plan to host a number of tours for producers, study groups, and industry partners alike.

These tours can be tailored to a specific focus for your business/farm needs.

• feeding programs
• housing systems
• husbandry
• management
• nutrition

Contact us to set up a tour date for you and your group.

Heather Copland
(800) 265-7863 extension 240

email hcopland@grober.com

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The GYADC is our central research facility showcasing the latest in young animal nutrition, husbandry, management & technology on the grounds of Canada’s Outdoor Park in Woodstock, ON. Beginning in the spring of 2009 the operation provided producers, students and industry groups the opportunity to tour a facility exclusively devoted to young animal health and management.

Grober Nutrition is pleased to announce the opening of the Grober Young Animal Development Centre (GYADC) for 2010, scheduled for the end of April. The Centre will feature products and programs relating to: dairy calves, kids, lambs, group and individual housing, and automatic feeding systems.

Grober Nutrition thanks the above for their support

Early Colostrum Management

• Measuring total blood proteins (ie. passive immunity) is a strong indicator of colostrum intake at birth.

“Timely administration of good quality colostrum equals superior growth”

Accelerated Feeding

• Calves need milk. Grain is important for rumen development but it does not contribute significantly to early growth.

“Do not underfeed milk to encourage grain intake.”

• Feeding a higher volume of milk replacer did not result in less grain intake.
• Calves in groups consumed 27% more grain then individually housed calves.

Economics

• Higher milk replacer intakes promotes health and reduces time to breeding and first calving by approximately 2 weeks
• The consistency of high quality, bio-secure milk replacer is economically advantageous to feed vs. saleable whole milk

Housing Management

• Group housing, a newer approach to managing dairy calves, when compared to individual housing, is a successful option.

“Calves reared in groups will become strong, healthy heifers.”

When to use it:

Using drySTART wherever you have damp and/or dirty floors helps dry the environment where livestock are housed. drySTART may also help reduce unpleasant ammonia odors in livestock bedding.

Using drySTART is an economical way to help create a better environment for your livestock and staff.

Application:

The environment in which you and your staff work and raise your livestock is becoming more important every day.

To succeed you need to provide well balanced feed, a good environment and minimize stress.

Provide your animals with a great start and create a better environment for your livestock and your staff.

Make drySTART part of your comprehensive livestock facility management program and see results right away.

drySTART is an amazingly effective drying agent and deodorizer designed for a wide range of species and production applications.

dryStart Brochure |   drystart MSDS Sheet |  dryStart Technical Data Sheet

high quality PDF of this information

Newborn animals are vulnerable to infection and disease. Immunoglobulins (Ig’s) are the first defence against disease and necessary for stimulation of the immune system.

Young ruminants (calves, lambs, kids) are born with negligible circulating concentrations of immunoglobulins (antibodies). Ig’s do not pass across the placenta prior to birth. Since there is no maternal sharing, ensuring that calves receive these Ig’s at birth is the only way to protect a newborn from environmental and disease challenges. Colostrum must be fed as soon as possible (within the first hour, preferably within 30 minutes of birth). Ig’s are absorbed intact into the newborn’s blood stream within a 6 hour window.

Young animal diseases often affect the gastrointestinal tract where they cause damage and symptoms of disease – diarrhea and dehydration. The intestines of young animals are not fully developed for several months. Ig cells help protect the gastrointestinal tract from pathogens. Colostrum also has a laxative effect and stimulates the normal function of the digestive tract.

Most importantly perhaps, Ig’s from colostrum stimulate the immune system. By building this “memory bank”, young animals now have the tools to mount a defense against disease.

Observations from the Grober Young Animal Development Centre (GYADC)

Further to disease prevention, early ingestion of good quality colostrum supports better gains in calves. During 2009 at the Grober Young Animal Development Centre, all calves entering the facility were tested for total proteins using blood serum. Calves were classified as failure of passive transfer (FPT) for total protein values <5.5mg/dL and successful passive transfer (SPT) for value above 5.6 mg/dL. All calves had received dam’s colostrum on their home farm according to a standard protocol.

During two separate trials at the Centre, calf growth was plotted and graphed according to total protein results (FPT or SPT).

In trial one, growth was plotted over a 10 week period. By the 5th week, SPT calves out-weighed FPT calves by 1.6kg (3.5lb) and by week 10 by 2.2kg (4.8lb). All calves were fed the same volume of Grober Excel milk replacer (6L/day).

In a second feeding trial, calves were fed an accelerated amount of Grober Excel (9L/day). By 10 weeks SPT calves outweighed FPT calves by 5.4kg (11.9lb) (see Figure 1). Even by 10 weeks of age, the gap in body weights between the two groups did not narrow. For every gram of milk replacer fed, the calves with SPT utilized these nutrients with greater efficiency. This data supports the vital concept that the first meal (colostrum) provides rich nutrients and antibodies with long term benefits.

Figure 1 Body weight comparison between calves with successful passive transfer and failure passive transfer.

What is Colostrum?

Colostrum is the thick, creamy, yellow secretion provided from the mammary gland for the first 24 hours after birth.

Colostrum provides a source of immunoglobulins (Ig’s) and other nutrients (protein, energy, vitamins and minerals, gut growth factors) vital for the newborn.

Immunoglobulins (antibodies) help to prevent infections by identifying and destroying pathogens. There are three main Ig’s identified in cow’s milk: IgG, IgA and IgM. The antibodies that the dam passes on depends on the diseases she has been exposed to throughout her life. First lactation animals, for this reason, will often secrete a more limited range of antibodies.

Newborns are born with very low energy stores and generally poor insulative protection, especially during the first few hours after birth. Energy from colostrum (through fat and lactose) supplies calories to help with thermoregulation. Heat production is important for survival and in particular, for animals born into cold environments in helping to prevent hypothermia. Proteins in colostrum are utilized for protein synthesis in addition to the absorption of Ig’s.

Vitamins A, D and E do not cross the placenta in significant amounts, so the newborn must rely on oral ingestion for these vitamins. Levels in colostrum are significantly higher than milk, but will depend on maternal nutrition prior to birth. These vitamins are important to the animal for the resistance of disease.

Growth factors are thought to promote gut growth and development, especially during the first 24-48 hours after birth.

Collection, Feeding, Handling & Storage

Please visit the University of Wisconsin, School of Veterinary Medicine web site for colostrum handling protocol.

http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/dms/fapm/fapmtools/8calf/colosprot.pdf

http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/dms/fapm/fapmtools/calves.htm

Calf’s Choice Total

A quality commercial colostrum replacer product is a safe and effective alternative to dam’s colostrum. Colostrum replacers provide consistent, disease free, and guaranteed levels of Ig’s. Along with the protective immunity, certain colostrum replacers offer rich nutrition needed by young animals. Colostrum replacers are of particular importance when high quality colostrum is not available or during a Johne’s eradication program.

Commercial products must provide sufficient biologically active IgG’s. Calf’s Choice Total is a supplement product that guarantees 100g of IgG per package (470g). Typically this is enough to have successful passive transfer. This product is Canadian sourced colostrum and tested with selection for antibodies toward specific diseases such as E. coli, Bovine Rotavirus and Bovine Coronavirus. All products are tested to ensure that it is free of Johne’s bacterium, free of Salmonella and free of E. coli.

Calf’s Choice Total was compared to other colostrum replacer products on the market (see Figure 2). Through both feeding approaches (1 bag or 2), calves fed Calf’s Choice Total not only met minimum SPT levels but surpassed those levels; the competitor product in both cases did not achieve minimum threshold.

*Attention to detail is required in storage and mixing instructions (i.e. use clean vessels for mixing and feeding, clean water to rehydrate colostrum supplements or replacers, etc.). Store product in a cool dry place and once mixed, use immediately.

Kathleen Shore, MSc.
Nutritionist
Grober Nutrition
(800) 265-7863 ex.201
kshore@grober.com

Colostrum Replacers

Calf’s Choice Total

HeadStart™ HiCal – Colostrum for Goat Kids

HeadStart™ HiCal- Colostrum for Lambs

We sell Colostrum Replacers through a dealer network -

Find a Dealer near you in Canada | Contact us by email | Use this contact form for product info  

Call Toll Free (800) 265-7863 ext. 219

request more info about these products by email

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HeadStart™ HiCal- Colostrum for Lambs

Unit Quantity Packaging: 25 ounces (700 gram) tub, containing up to 20 lamb feedings

Pallet Quantity: 250 tubs per pallet

Description

(Saskatoon Colostrum Co. Ltd.) The perfect feed supplement to help newborn lambs survive and thrive, made from natural bovine colostrum. Newborn lambs need rapid access to colostrum soon after birth and throughout the first day of life to maintain body temperature and prevent infection. Designed to provide lambs with high levels of colostral fat needed to prevent hypoglycemia and hypothermia and gain body weight, as well as immunity, growth factors, and other key nutrients. Use to supplement or replace ewe colostrum when:

• the quality or quantity of available ewe colostrum is inadequate;
• lambs are unable to suckle, such as in multiple births, first pregnancy ewes, and lambs born to sick or weak ewes; or
• ewes are infected with ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP), Johne’s Disease or other diseases that can be transferred from ewes to lambs through colostrum.

“Easy Mix” formula provides energy potency, immune potency, convenience, and uniformity. Comes with convenient scoop to measure individual feedings based on lamb body weight. Each 25 oz tub provides up to 20 lamb feedings.

Minimum Guaranteed Analysis

• Bovine Globulin Protein (Min) ………14%
• Crude Protein (Min) ………………43.0%
• Crude Fat (Min) ……………………23.0%
• Crude Fiber (Max) …………………..1.0%
• Calcium (Min-Max) ……………0.9%-1.1%
• Phosphorus (Min) ……………………0.8%

Feeding Recommendations for Lambs

The following feeding recommendations are for lambs that do not receive any other colostrum. They are based on body weight, but it should be noted that specific needs will vary depending on environmental conditions. When given in each of three feedings in the first 18 hours of life these feeding recommendations are designed to provide a newborn lamb with the energy needed for maintenance plus gain under indoor [still, dry] conditions, or with maintenance and lower gain under outdoor conditions.

Newborn lambs should receive their first feeding of colostrum as soon after birth as possible, and not later than 6 hours of age. Undersized, weak or stressed lambs may also benefit from continued feeding of HEADSTART® HiCal after the first day of age.

Mixing – Use a whisk to mix each feeding into water that is hot to the touch 55°C (130°F). Avoid water temperatures above 55°C (130°F). Hot water and vigorous mixing are required because of the high levels of natural fat and proteins. Feeding – After mixing, HEADSTART  HiCal can be fed by nipple bottle or oesophageal tube. The liquid can be stored refrigerated for up to 72 hr, and before feeding should be re-warmed to 40°C (104°F) by immersing in warm water.

Each Level scoop measures 20 g (0.7 oz) of HEADSTART HiCal

Note: Due to high fat content, colostrum may be too thick to pass through standard kid nipples. It may be necessary to enlarge the nipple opening.

Feeding Recommendations

Newborn lambs have limited energy reserves and need rapid access to colostrum to maintain body temperature and survive. This is especially true for lambs that have a difficult birth, are born into cold temperatures, or are born to poorly fed ewes. HEADSTART ® HiCal has been formulated to contain natural high levels of colostral fat and lactose because they are the only nutrients that newborn lambs can quickly convert into the energy needed to maintain body temperature.

Rarely, cows produce antibodies that can destroy lamb blood cells. If newborn lambs ingest large amounts of these antibodies anemia may result. Affected lambs may become weak and have pale (white) gums. HEADSTART ® HiiCal is made from colostrum pooled from thousands of cows and it is very unlikely that such antibodies will be present in amounts sufficient to affect lamb blood cells. This syndrome is much more likely when lambs are fed bovine colostrum from a single cow producing these antibodies. However, in the unlikely event that signs of anemia are noticed, stop all feeding of HEADSTART ® HiCal and consult a veterinarian.

We sell through a dealer network -

Find a Dealer near you in Canada | Contact us by email | Use this contact form for product info

Call Toll Free (800) 265-7863 ext. 219

request more info about these products by email

HeadStart™ HiCal – Colostrum for Goat Kids

Unit Quantity Packaging: 25 ounces (700 gram) tub, containing up to 20 kid feedings

Pallet Quantity: 250 tubs per pallet

Description

(Saskatoon Colostrum Co. Ltd.) The perfect feed supplement to help newborn kids survive and thrive made from natural bovine colostrum. It is important that newborn kids consume adequate amounts of colostrum soon after birth and throughout the first day of life to allow them to maintain body temperature and to ensure adequate immune transfer. Kid’s Choice Total™ is designed to provide kids with high levels of colostral fat needed to prevent hypoglycemia and hypothermia, as well as immunity, growth factors, and other key nutrients. Kid’s Choice Total™ is a natural alternative to supplement or replace doe colostrum when:

• the quality or quantity of available doe colostrum is inadequate;
• kids are unable to suckle, such as in multiple births, first pregnancy does, and kids born to sick or weak does; or
• does are infected with caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) virus, Johne’s Disease, caseous lymphadenitis or other diseases that can be transferred from does to kids through colostrum.

“Easy Mix” formula provides energy potency, immune potency, convenience, and uniformity. Comes with convenient scoop to measure individual feedings based on kid body weight. Each 25 oz tub provides up to 20 kid feedings.

Minimum Guaranteed Analysis

• Bovine Globulin Protein (Min) ………14%
• Crude Protein (Min) ………………43.0%
• Crude Fat (Min) ……………………23.0%
• Crude Fiber (Max) …………………..1.0%
• Calcium (Min-Max) ……………0.9%-1.1%
• Phosphorus (Min) ……………………0.8%

Feeding Recommendations for Goat Kids

The following feeding recommendations are for goat kids that do not receive any other colostrum. They are based on body weight, but it should be noted that specific needs will vary depending on environmental conditions. When given in each of three feedings in the first 18 hours of life these feeding recommendations are designed to provide a newborn goat kid with the energy needed for maintenance plus gain under indoor [still, dry] conditions, or with maintenance and lower gain under outdoor conditions.

Newborn goat kids should receive their first feeding of colostrum as soon after birth as possible, and not later than 6 hours of age. Undersized, weak or stressed goat kids may also benefit from continued feeding of HEADSTART® HiCaCafter the first day of age.

Mixing – Use a whisk to mix each feeding into water that is hot to the touch 55°C (130°F). Avoid water temperatures above 55°C (130°F). Hot water and vigorous mixing are required because of the high levels of natural fat and proteins. Feeding – After mixing, HEADSTART® HiCal can be fed by nipple bottle or oesophageal tube. The liquid can be stored refrigerated for up to 72 hr, and before feeding should be re-warmed to 40°C (104°F) by immersing in warm water.

Each Level scoop measures 20 g(0.7 oz) of HEADSTART HiCal

Note: Due to high fat content, colostrum may be too thick to pass through standard kid nipples. It may be necessary to enlarge the nipple opening.

Feeding Recommendations

Newborn goat kids have limited energy reserves and need rapid access to colostrum to maintain body temperature and survive. This is especially true for goat kids that have a difficult birth, are born into cold temperatures, or are born to poorly fed does. HEADSTART® HiCal has been formulated to contain natural high levels of colostral fat and lactose because they are the only nutrients that newborn goat kids can quickly convert into the energy needed to maintain body temperature.

Rarely, cows produce antibodies that can destroy goat kid blood cells. If newborn goat kids ingest large amounts of these antibodies anemia may result. Affected goat kids may become weak and have pale (white) gums. HEADSTART ® 3-fiCal is made from colostrum pooled from thousands of cows and it is very unlikely that such antibodies will be present in amounts sufficient to affect goat kid blood cells. This syndrome is much more likely when goat kids are fed bovine colostrum from a single cow producing these antibodies. However, in the unlikely event that signs of anemia are noticed, stop all feeding of HEADSTART® HiCal and consult a veterinarian.

We sell through a dealer network -

Find a Dealer near you in Canada | Contact us by email | Use this contact form for product info

Call Toll Free (800) 265-7863 ext. 219

request more info about these products by email

Principles and Experience

Introduction

Producers have traditionally raised calves in individual pens or hutches. This rearing system has had advantages of individual feeding, observation and reduced risk of cross-contamination. It is however, still labour intensive. Dairy cattle are naturally group-living animals. Group-housed calves can enjoy an early social interaction and learn to understand group behaviour. Research is now proving that well-managed group housed calf rearing systems can provide advantages for both calves and producers.

Automatic feeding systems for group housing

Group housing often requires intensive management. In non-automated group housing individual intake is difficult to monitor. Moreover, sub-clinical or ill calves may be challenging to identify and therefore treat appropriately.

The new generation of automatic feeding systems (like the Förster-Technik model sold through DeLaval, Lely and Westfalia/GEA) can be easily programmed to effectively feed and monitor calves on an individual basis. There is software available to accumulate a significant amount of information and provide detailed data analysis of individual calves and/or the group for high management control with low labour requirements. An example of data collected includes daily milk replacer intake and number of visits to the feeder. Alarms will be triggered when deviations occur. Individual medication, electrolyte/additive administration programs are also available options.

Feeding management

In conventional feeding by pail, calves are fed limited amounts of milk replacer (i.e.) 2-3 litres of milk replacer twice a day, the equivalent of 500-900g of solids. For optimal heifer growth and development calf feeding recommendations have increased to 8-10 liters/day, the equivalent of 1200-1500g of solids, sometimes even more.

The advantages of feeding calves more milk are widely published. Areas studied include calf growth, height, starter consumption, medication use/costs, time management, and the increased output of milk during the first lactation (references available upon request). These published advantages examine the economic impacts of feeding more milk replacer.

Grober Nutrition, based in Cambridge, Ontario is working in partnership with Förster-Technik, a world leader in automatic calf feeding, to establish further on-farm practice and benefits. The concept of smaller meals being offered more frequently could lead to improved digestion and may also aid in the prevention of severe scouring.

Group feeding experience

Grober Nutrition has been evaluating group housing systems for over 20 years and have more recently collated data from CY Heifer Farms (Elba, N.Y.) and the Grober Young Animal Development Centre (GYADC) (Woodstock, Ont.). The trials were set up to examine and quantify the growth, development, medication usage rate and economics of feeding the same amount of milk to group fed calves compared with individually fed calves. The first data set from CY Farms was evaluated based on 582 calves and concluded no significant difference in live weight and growth rate between the two feeding practices. Group fed calves, however, showed a significantly lower medication cost(P<0.05) during the CY Farms trial period compared to individually fed calves. Computer data analysis allowed for earlier detection of illness and labour was reduced by 52%.

The Grober Young Animal Development Centre in Woodstock, Ontario, enables Grober to compare both individual and group housing methods under one roof. This means that nutrition programs, calf-rearing technologies and other calf products can be examined simultaneously under both management systems.

Recent data from the Grober Centre shows that calves in groups exceeded average daily gains compared to individually housed calves starting week 5 and continuing past weaning (see Table 1).

Table 1. Average Daily Gain (ADG) of calves receiving 6L/day of milk replacer as compared between groups and individual pens. (All values reported in kg/day).

blue, red columns with different superscripts are significantly different at p<0.05

While ADG often fluctuates due to environmental and health influences there was no significant difference in average body weight until weaning (week 7). Throughout weaning and post-weaning, calves in group housing achieved a significantly higher average body weight (see Figure 1.

Improved gains may be attributed to the significant increase (P< 0.05) in starter intake from automatic grain feeders prior to weaning for the group fed calves. However, during weaning, calves in individual pens achieved similar calf starter intake compared to group housed calves.

Group Housing & Health

There are perceived health concerns when calves have nose-to-tail contact. Automatic calf feeding machines are a tool for early detection of illness.

Grober Nutrition assessed the cost of medication to evaluate whether group housed calves are more likely to require therapeutic intervention (see Figure 2).

The data illustrates that individual calves suffered significantly more illness early on (i.e. scours).

During week 4, a significant difference in cost was associated with group calves (respiratory illness). Overall, group fed calves showed a significantly lower medication cost compared to individually fed calves. Age, body weight and a higher plane of nutrition may have accounted for more moderate medication use and cost.

Group Housing Considerations

Selecting calves for group housing with automation requires a thrifty calf with a strong suckling reflex. The calf manager should group calves of similar age and body weight. Group housing of calves has many time and labour saving advantages. It provides improved access to space, allowing for more vigorous activity, and with automation, improves feed consistency and number of feeds.

Group housing can facilitate earlier socialization. Moreover, there may be minimization of stress associated with changes in feed and environment post-weaning for calves.

For more details please contact Grober Nutrition at www.grobernutrition.com  or toll free 1-800-265-7863

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Grober Contacts

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• CALF’S CHOICE TOTAL is a premium colostrum supplement that prevents Failure of
  Passive Transfer (FPT) of immunity from cows to their calves.
• This colostrum supplement contains spraydried bovine colostrum that has been heat treated for safety. Therefore, it is free of all pathogenic bacteria and is safe to use, even in high health herds.
• When fed as directed, CALF’S CHOICE TOTAL gives calves a minimum of more than
  10 grams of immunoglobulins (Igs) per liter of serum (Ig/L). Research has shown that this level protects calves from most common infectious diseases.
• CALF’S CHOICE TOTAL contains antibodies against a wide variety of common infectious organisms, including: Escherichia coli (E.coli), Bovine Rotavirus and Coronavirus, Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV), Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (B RSV), Bovine Parainfluenza Type 3 Virus (PI-3V), and Bovine Herpesvirus-1 (B H V-1).

Summary – seven key performance features

Mixing Directions |  Feeding Tips

We sell through a dealer network -

Find a Dealer near you in Canada | Contact us by email | Use this contact form for product info

Call Toll Free (800) 265-7863 ext. 219

Key Points:

• Offer smaller meals more frequently (minimum 3 feedings/day)
• Provide plenty of fresh water
• Encourage grain consumption

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Grober Nutrition is pleased to inform the market that all Grober Milk Replacers now contain organic selenium.

After careful review of the scientific literature, Grober Nutrition has replaced its inorganic selenium source with the Alltech® product Sel-Plex®.

Sel Plex logoSel-Plex® is an organic form of selenium that contains selenomethionine, selenocysteine and several other selenoproteins.

Compared to its inorganic form, organic selenium is readily available to the animal for the synthesis of various enzymes and proteins within the body. Organic selenium is absorbed as a protein by the small intestine through active transport.

Selenium is an important micro nutrient in a number of physiological functions including immune function and reproduction.