Give Calves a Push!

By: Suzanne Lois, Resale Product Advisor

A newborn calf’s first few hours on earth and how quickly it suckles down Mother Nature’s energy and protein drink, the dam’s colostrum, will likely determine how healthy it will be for the next few months. Colostrum provides the calf with two key components: antibodies and ENERGY, ENERGY, ENERGY!

Often not highlighted when talking about the first feeding of colostrum is the energy source it provides the calf. A newborn calf has limited storage of fat reserves; in fact, it doesn’t even have enough reserves to survive 24 hours in a stressful environment. In order for the immune system to work properly, energy is crucial.

Colostrum provides a jolt of energy similar to that of an energy drink. The colostral milkfat provides the required source of energy to help jumpstart a calf’s immune system. Calves should consume colostrum as soon as possible; however, we do encounter circumstances where the calf doesn’t have enough energy to get up and nurse. It could be for a number of reasons, including the calf being born in muddy, cold conditions, suffering from a hard calving or being born a twin. And, of course, there are always those circumstances where you wonder if the calf did or didn’t get up and suckle yet. So, what can you do to get the calf up and suckling? At GENEX, we suggest giving the calf a little “push.” Push™ calf nutritional paste, that is.

Push™ paste is made from high quality, pasteurized bovine colostrum and contains both globulin proteins and colostral fats found in colostrum. While it does not replace colostrum, it does provide plenty of energy and can help with immune stimulation at the cellular level. A tube of Push™ paste will provide a calf with enough nutrients to support energy needs for up to a 12-hour period, depending on the condition the calf is in. Those who have tried Push™ paste are amazed how
the product can increase a calf’s energy to help combat challenges it may experience in the first few hours of life.

A dam’s colostrum is nature’s perfect first meal, providing the necessary antibodies and energy to get
the calf off to the best possible start. Yet, sometimes calves need a little nudge to get started, so why not give a tube of Push™ calf nutritional paste?