Calf-health worry as high prices for colostrum tempt farmers

Higher prices being offered for colostrum this calving season have raised concerns that dairy farmers may skimp on feeding the valuable liquid to calves.

Colostrum is taken from the first four or five milkings after birth and the high level of immunoglobins which protect against infection makes it essential food for newborn calves, including calves sold by dairy farmers to be reared for beef.

But the same active ingredients have made it keenly sought after overseas in the health food sector, and for pharmaceutical use. At the top end of the market in China, colostrum can sell for $1 a gram in its pure powder form - $1000 a kg.

Fonterra has raised the price by 5 per cent to $168 a kg for 0.75 per cent strength colostrum, with a premium for higher strength colostrum. It has also started collecting earlier than planned in the North Island - farms in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Manawatu and Hawkes Bay - and is collecting for the first time from Canterbury, Otago and Southland.

Eric and Helen Pidduck, who run one of New Zealand's biggest calf-rearing operations in Koromatua, 14km southwest of Hamilton, said they were concerned the temptation might be too much for some farmers.

"We are very concerned that the amount that has been offered for the purchase of colostrum is going to affect the quality of care that calves get on farms - particularly if they take the best colostrum," said Mrs Pidduck.

She said calves deprived of colostrum never really recovered.

Calf rearers normally pick up calves at about four days and rear them to about 100kg before on-selling them to finishers or meatworks.

Mrs Pidduck said when colostrum collections started some years ago she knew of vets who threatened not to supply services to farmers if they continued to sell their colostrum.

Fonterra has put out an information brochure to farmers. It said farmers should have 250 cows before considering selling colostrum and calves should be fed colostrum at birth with a second feeding within 12 hours.

Morrinsville Animal Health Centre vet Ali Cullum said vets' gut response was often to question why farmers would sell such a valuable commodity, but if it was managed correctly it was not a problem.

She said farmers needed to keep the crucial first milk for calves.

"By all means give the next three days to Fonterra then make sure you keep the next two days for the calves," she said.

She said if farmers' calves had a history of diseases, such as scouring, vets advised them to keep all colostrum.

Cullum said when colostrum collections began some years ago there were serious problems as some farmers gave too much away.

She said research had showed 30 per cent of calves still didn't get enough colostrum, but it was usually because they didn't access it properly, rather than because they were denied it.

Although Fonterra recommends precautions for collections, its drive to sell the product is likely to escalate.

In the brochure on colostrum, chief operating officer Jay Waldvogel said demand for it was up 30 per cent this year and Fonterra was projecting "double digit" growth in the foreseeable future.

"We have built this market and we have every intention to defend and further grow our leading position."

Research funded by Fonterra has shown colostrum may boost the immune systems of top athletes.

The outbreak of the Sars virus last year also boosted Chinese market demand for Fonterra's colostrum product by over five times the forecast figures. Indications are that global demand will be even higher this year, with new colostrum products going on sale in both the United States and Asia.

- NZPA