KWIK START - COLOSTRUM SUPPLEMENT
Kwik Start boosts colostrum concentration, naturally. With high levels of immunoglobulins and antibacterials, you can count on Kwik Start to give your calves, foals, lambs, kid goats, cria (alpaca), piglets or fawns a flying start.
WHY COLOSTRUM IS CRITICAL
Newborns are born with no immunity, and it takes two to three weeks to develop.
During that time, a newborn’s defence against bacteria/infection lies in the Passive Immunity Transfer (PIT) of immunoglobulins (a group of proteins with active antibodies) it receives from maternal colostrum.
Maternal colostrum is the first milk produced after birth. It is high in protein, immunoglobulins, and antibacterials.
For example, by the time a calf is 12 hours old, its ability to absorb those precious antibodies through
PIT has fallen to 20%. At 24 hours old, that percentage has dropped to just 5%.
The quality of maternal colostrum varies, and if it doesn’t include enough immunoglobulins, newborns will not achieve PIT. One third of calves left to suckle from their dams naturally will not achieve PIT.
Failure to achieve PIT is a sure-fire way to have more sick calves, and higher mortality rates.
WHAT TO DO FOR NEWBORNS
First 12 hours: Prepare a daily dose of Kwik Start referencing the feeding guide from the Animal Feed Chart (see below).
With maternal colostrum: Add 200g of Kwik Start to a minimum of 2 litres of colostrum.
Without maternal colostrum: Mix 200g of Kwik Start in 650mls of warm water. Repeat within the first 6 hours.
Feed a minimum of 10% of the newborn’s birthweight in colostrum with the recommended rate of Kwik Start within the first 6 hours after birth.
