Secure!^® A Colostrum Replacer

Failure of Passive Transfer (FTP)

Newborn calves rely on the ingestion of good quality colostrum to obtain adequate amounts of immunoglobulins (Ig), essential proteins in the protection against diseases. Failure of passive transfer (FPT) is a condition characterized by inadequate blood Ig concentration (< 10 g IgG/L at 24h) of newborn calves. A NAHMS survey showed that 41% of the calves in the U.S. are diagnosed with FTP, and 96% of these calves will need to be treated for health issues. Calves with FPT are:

6 times more likely to get early diarrhea
9 times more susceptible to diseases in the first two weeks
typically poor doing calves
candidates for lower lifetime production

Studies have shown that FPT contributes to 96% of the death loss that occurs in the first two weeks of life.

Colostrum Quality

One solution to prevent FPT is to provide the calf with high quality colostrum that has not been pooled. The colostrum must be from a cow that:

is healthy
tested ELISA negative for Johne’s
has no mastitis or bloody milk, and has not leaked milk before the calf is born
has not produced more than 3 gallons of colostrum at the first milking (high volume implies low Ig concentration)
has been dry at least 45 days

Colostrum can directly transfer many diseases such as Johne’s, Tuberculosis and BLV. Also, it is commonly contaminated with Salmonella, E. coli, BVD, Rota virus, Corona virus, Mycoplasma, and others. Therefore, providing healthy, high quality colostrum to the calf can be a challenge.

Secure!^® A colostrum replacer

Secure! is a true colostrum replacer available on the market. Secure! is a powdered product formulated to completely replace maternal colostrum for newborn calves when fed according to recommendations. One dose of Secure! provides a minimum of 125 g of immunoglobulins, enough to jumpstart the calf’s immune system. Table 1 shows the composition of Secure! as compared to high and medium quality colostrum. The vitamin and mineral concentrations in Secure! are similar to those found in high quality colostrum. Table 1. Comparison of Secure! to high and medium quality colostrum

Table 1 Comparison of Secure! to Colostrum Nutrient Secure!
Nutrient	Secure	High Quality Colostrum	Medium Quality Colostrum
Total solids, %	20	24	18
Total protein, %	10	14	8
Casein, %	0	5	4
Immunoglobulin, %	5.6	6	4
IgG, g/L	63	32	25
Fat, %	4	7	5
Lactose, %	3	3	4
Vitamin A, KIU/100ml	2	1	1
Vitamin E, KIU/100ml	7	1	1

Secure! also contains Bio-Mos^® (mannan oligosaccharide) and organic selenium. Research has shown increased uptake of immunoglobulins when calves were fed Bio-Mos® with colostrum. Feeding organic selenium resulted in increased growth and muscle development, and improved immunity in calves as compared to feeding inorganic selenium sources.

Secure! is a convenient alternative to feeding true colostrum, and it is best used in situations where:

labor is an issue
colostrum intake and/or quality are questionable
calves are born from first calf heifers
calves are born at night
registered herds are selling animals
producers are taking a proactive role in disease prevention & transmission
there is concern that diseases are being transferred to the calf through maternal colostrum

Many times these situations occur with herds going through expansions (short on labor, purchased animals, not enough stored colostrum) or herds with strict disease prevention programs such as Johne’s.

Feeding directions

Calves should be given one dose of Secure! as soon as possible after birth (preferably within the first hour), and then fed good quality milk replacer the second feeding until weaning. Mix one dose of Secure! (500 g) with 2 quarts of warm water (105º F) and stir well to ensure complete dispersal. Feed the calf with either a bottle or an esophageal feeder.

Biosafety

During the manufacturing process, Secure! is heated in a spray-drying process to 400ºF under pressure exceeding 2500 psi. This process kills all pathogenic organisms. Secure! undergoes third party laboratory testing at many stages of manufacturing in which it is checked for over 15 different viruses and microorganisms. In addition, Secure! is electronically pasteurized after packaging.

Dairy Technical Bulletin • Vita Plus Corporation • May 9, 2006

Secure!® A Colostrum Replacer