What Substitutes Are Available if

No Equine Colostrum Can Be Obtained?

 

 

Bovine Colostrum - Better than nothing, and does work in the foal.  It is readily available and kept on most dairies.

*Advantages - Good IgA in gut, some IgG; better disease resistance than foals that do not receive colostrum;

also inexpensive

            *Disadvantages - may cause HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA, no protection against equine-specific pathogens

  (Actinobacillus, Rhodococcus); there is a shorter half-life of IgG (versus equine colostrum)

 

Lyophilized Plasma - Freeze dried; requires at least 60g (more than label recommends); more expensive

 

Serum Products - Expensive, but have equine IgG, and the donors are usually vaccinated against major equine pathogens.

     Some serum products are even hyperimmunized against Rhodococcus equi. 

            *Advantages - Targeted IgG; veterinarians should have a supply that is readily available

            *Disadvantages – Expensive; no IgA protection (might try this in addition to bovine colostrum)

            NOTE: Label recommendations for serum products are inaccurate.  It is suggested that twice the amount

                         of serum product be administered than what is recommended on the label.

 

Frozen Plasma Products - Requires the veterinarian for intravenous administration

            *Advantages - Guaranteed IgG levels of commercial products; immunized donors; good quality control;

            screened for A and Q antibodies; can be given orally if gut is still "open", but many liters are needed

            to get a good blood IgG level.

            *Disadvantages – Expensive; no local immunity in gut; possibility of transfusion reaction, may not have antibodies

    to pathogens specific to that farm

 

Various Equine Immunoglobulin Products

  1. Polymune ~ Polymune-R (Veterinary Dynamics, Inc.):

-Plasma with additional antibodies against Rodococcus equi

-www.home.aone.net.au/polymune

  1. Equine Oral IgG ~ Seramune (Sera, Inc.):

-Oral product to be used as a colostrum supplement or substitute

-www.seramune.com/equineoraliv

  1. Equine Coli Endotox (Grand Labs Iowa):

-Oral supplement to protect against E-coli

-P.O. Box 1050, Freeman SD 57029; Phone 800-843; Fax 605-925-4354; grand@sioux.sodak.net;

 Call for information on Equine Coli Endotox for foals.

  1. Lake Immunogenics:

-Equine plasma and equine IgG

-www.lakeimmunogenics.com

 

 

 

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The National Colostrum Network was founded at the

University of Minnesota-College of Veterinary Medicine.