Factors affecting colostrum quality in Australian pasture-based dairy herds

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting colostrum quality in dairy cattle. Methods: Colostrum samples were collected from lactating dairy cows (n = 990) from nine commercial dairy herds in south-west Victoria. Colostrum quality was measured using an optical Brix refractometer. Cow-level factors thought to influence colostrum quality included season of calving, dam breed and age, volume of first-milking colostrum produced and whether the dam leaked colostrum prior to calving. Multivariable logistic regression was used to quantify the association between each cow-level factor and whether or not colostrum was assessed to be of poor quality. Results: Cows older than 5 ..