February 2023
Newborn calves receive all their immunity passively — meaning they must drink the colostrum (or first milk) from their mothers to receive vital antibodies.
Septicemia a risk to newborn calves
Newborn calves receive all their immunity passively — meaning they must drink the colostrum (or first milk) from their mothers to receive vital antibodies. Inadequate colostrum intake is one of the main causes of septicemia in calves, whether the colostrum quality is too low or the animal drinks too little or too late (after the first 24 hours of life).
Another cause can be the calves’ environment, especially if it’s contaminated with feces. Septicemia is a systemic disease, meaning that it affects multiple organs such as a calf’s heart, lungs and brain.
Click here to read WCVM veterinarian Dr. John Campbell’s livestock health column.