A new spreadsheet is available to help dairy producers monitor and manage transfer of passive immunity (TPI) in calves.
Extension specialists Victor Malacco with Michigan State University and Camila Lage with Cornell University developed the simple, Excel-based system. The spreadsheet records TPI based on one of two factors – serum total protein or Brix refractometer scores from serum samples.
It also calculates the age of the calf on the day it was tested and indicates whether that age falls within the ideal evaluation window. (If the age of the calf is greater than 7 days, the number will be red, indicating that it is not ideal to be evaluated at that age).
After the data is entered, the spreadsheet will indicate the category of TPI for each individual calf. A herd evaluation also will show the percentage of calves in each category. Farm values can be compared to the goal for each TPI category.
The creators said the spreadsheet helps managers and their advisors improve calf health and performance because it:
- Allows monitoring and assessing passive immunity transfer’s effectiveness in a herd.
- Helps identify potential issues or gaps in colostrum management practices.
- Enables timely intervention and adjustments to improve passive immunity transfer rates.
- Facilitates informed decision-making for breeding and culling strategies based on the data trends.
- Provides valuable information for veterinarians and consultants to offer targeted advice and support.
A free download of the spreadsheet can be accessed here.
