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Determining the quality of colostrum is the most important part of a colostrum management plan.You can%u2019t manage what you don%u2019t measure! 1. Dip the silver tip of your clean refractometer into the colostrum and stir.2. Press the start button.3. Within three seconds the results will appear on the digital screen.The refractometer reading will appear in Brix scale. Use the chart to the right to convert the Brix scale readings to IgG values. The digital refractometer is not sensitive to the colostrum temperature, so you can test colostrum immediately after collection.Above images and text reproduced with permission from the Golden Calf Companyhttp://www.goldencalfcompany.com.Colostrum ReadingInstructions for using a dip style digital refractometer:% Brix g IgG/ Qt g IgG in 4 Qt18.0 Less than 15 Inadequate18.2 Less than 15 Inadequate18.4 Less than 15 Inadequate18.6 Less than 15 Inadequate18.8 Less than 15 Inadequate19.0 15.0 60.019.2 16.8 67.219.4 18.8 75.319.6 20.9 83.419.8 22.9 91.520.0 24.9 99.720.2 26.9 107.820.4 29.0 115.920.6 31.0 124.020.8 33.0 132.221.0 35.1 140.321.2 37.1 148.421.4 39.1 156.521.6 41.2 164.721.8 43.2 172.822.0 45.2 180.922.2 47.3 189.022.4 49.3 197.122.6 51.3 205.322.8 53.3 213.423.0 55.4 221.523.2 57.4 229.623.4 59.4 237.823.6 61.5 245.923.8 63.5 254.024.0 65.5 262.124.2 67.6 270.324.4 69.6 278.424.6 71.6 286.524.8 73.7 294.625.0 75.7 302.825.2 77.7 310.925.4 79.7 319.025.6 81.8 327.125.8 83.8 335.226.0 85.8 343.426.2 87.9 351.526.4 89.9 359.626.6 91.9 367.726.8 94.0 375.927.0 96.0 384.0GOOD QUALITY (Use For Heifer Calves) AVERAGE QUALITY (Use For Bull Calves) POOR QUALITY (Do Not Use)4 quarts within 4 hours of birth OR a minimum of 200 g of antibody within 4 hours of birth.Colostrum Feeding GuidelinesNo, most dairy calves that nurse will receive 1 to 1.5 quarts of colostrum before feeling full. This is not a large enough volume of colostrum to provide adequate passive transfer (protection from infection).Did this calf get enough colostrum?calves1.888.376.6777 %u2022 www.crystalcreeknatural.com | 37
