Abstract

Use of surplus colostrum, which was collected from the first eight milkings postpartum, in calf rearing programs was investigated in two trials. In trial 1, colostrum that was acidified with formic acid and stored at summer ambient temperatures (ACAT), or milk replacer that was acidified with formic acid were fed to calves. In trial 2, calves were fed colostrum stored in refrigerator (2 to 4°C) after formic acid addition (ACRE). Liquid diets were acidified with formic acid at 0.23% vol/wt. Each batch of acidified colostrum (8 batches in ACAT and 10 batches in ACRE) was labelled 0 days old when colostrum from first eight milkings was mixed. Colostrum samples were collected at days 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 of storage. Mean pH for acidified colostrum stored at summer ambient temperatures was 4.35 at day 0, it decreased to 3.56 at day 10 (P