You wouldn’t think that veterinarians could have jargon for calf rearing, but you better believe we do!
- Agammaglobulinaemic– my personal favourite. All it means is no antibodies. Calves are born with no antibodies, no white blood cells and very little in the way of a functioning immune system. All their requirements for the first few months of life in terms of their immune system have to come from the colostrum.
- Colostrum– the first milk that the cow produces after calving. It contains all the antibodies and white blood cells that the calf needs for the first few months of its life. It is also chock a block full of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals to give the calf a flying start in life.
- Umbilical Cord– also called the navel. This is how the calf was attached to the placenta and where all the nutrients and blood flowed through from dam to calf.