A newborn animal starts producing antibodies only after a few weeks. Therefore, a lamb must be given colostrum with a high concentration of antibodies immediately after birth. This is crucial because without antibodies, an animal has little chance of survival. The more antibodies in the colostrum, the lower the dip in the critical period.
Passive Immunization
Shortly after receiving colostrum, the level of antibodies in the newborn's body increases. Ideally, colostrum should be administered within 6 hours after birth. This way, antibodies (of the IgG type) have the best chance of passing through the intestinal wall and entering the bloodstream. The absorption of antibodies from colostrum is called passive immunization.
To achieve the highest possible absorption of antibodies, and thus the highest possible peak in the graph, colostrum must contain as many antibodies as possible.
Active Immunization
Active immunization begins gradually within a few weeks after birth. Exposure to pathogens in the environment triggers an immune response and the production of antibodies. This production is called active immunization. In the graph, the course of active immunization is represented in orange.
Critical Period
The intersection of the two graphs lies between day 10 and 14. During this period, the level of antibodies in the bloodstream is at its lowest, and the animal is weakest with the least resistance. Insufficient colostrum intake or administration of poor-quality colostrum during this period can lead to respiratory problems and diarrhea.
The above graph is for illustration purposes and shows how passive and active immunization progress. With lower quality colostrum (graph in blue), the antibody level in the blood will be at its lowest between day 10 and 14. The higher the amount of antibodies administered at birth (graph in gray (PI2)), the higher the minimum amount of antibodies per liter of blood during the critical period. By giving as many antibodies as possible at birth, the lamb has sufficient resistance to successfully overcome this critical period.
Good quality colostrum is the most important nutrition you can give to your animal. If using your own colostrum is not an option, choose CapraCol®.
