Background: Ruminants, during the newborn stage, are considered as agammaglobulinemic (calves and buffalos) or hypogammaglobulinemic (kids and lambs), where the colostrum intake is important for the decrease of illness incidence, an adequate development and a low peripartum mortality. The aim was to evaluate the use of dehydrated bovine colostrum as an alternative to natural ovine colostrum upon de development and immunity of Dorper lambs.
Methods: A total of 35 lambs, divided in two groups, one (CN; n=17) fed with natural colostrum directly from the mother, the second (CB; n=18) fed with a colostrum substitute based on dehydrated bovine colostrum, were used.
Result: The colostrum quality was better for the CN group regarding lipids, CP, density, solids and fat when compared to the CB (p<0.05). Glucose levels were higher in the CN than the CB 24 h after colostrum administration (116 mg/dl and 97 mg/dl, respectively; p<0.05). There were no diarrheas or respiratory illnesses in lambs from both groups at 24 h after birth (p>0.05). Maybe, the use of bovine dehydrated colostrum transfers a similar immunization than natural colostrum, which generated a low incidence of respiratory and metabolic illnesses and a good body development.
