First Arrival Helps Bolster Calf Immunity
Healthier Calves Means Increased Profits
In the first two weeks of life, most dairy calves require extra help in order to boost their immunities, according to Rob Farruggio, D.V.M., bovine practitioner in a seven-doctor mixed animal practice in Jefferson, WI. Dr. Farruggio explains that calves are born with inadequate immune systems, in environments filled with 
disease-causing pathogens. They fight these pathogens with antibodies received through passive transfer of maternal colostrum. Although maternal colostrum is the ideal source to combat disease causing pathogens, not all colostrum
is of high quality nor does every calf get enough at the right time, according to Dr. Farruggio. He, therefore, recommends that his dairy producer clients provide calves with
First Arrival® with Encrypt™ from AgriLabs. Currently in use by dairies ranging from 30-900 cows, he states that “Every single one of these dairies is extremely happy with First Arrival.”
Dr. Farruggio began recommending
First Arrival about a year ago. “I had already been using a product very similar to First Arrival, with good success. First Arrival then came out. I was very intrigued by the product, since it contained more antibodies than the product I was using.” In addition, he was interested in First Arrival’s utility because it contained Encrypt, a unique carbon extract with antimicrobial properties. Encrypt decreases scour causing pathogens and promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.
Healthier calves
“We started using it
[First Arrival] on a few dairies, and it’s been a wonderful product for combating calf scours,” explains Dr. Farruggio. “I’ve had clients who were using First Arrival and decided to stop. Within two to three weeks, they would call me and say, “Okay, whatever is in that product must have been working because we are now having the problems again.”
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“Just through the use of this product, we’ve been able to create healthier calves with fewer scour issues and fewer re-treats of scours,” states Farruggio. “The few calves that do get scours are not as severely affected, and the scours seem to clear up more quickly; they are usually right back on milk the next feeding. This product gives calves an edge to keep going until their immune systems develop and they are able to fight off things on their own.”
Even though dairy profits are down in today’s economic climate, Dr. Farruggio says that using
First Arrival continues to be a cost-effective means of combating disease in calves. His clients are money ahead because their calves are much healthier. They are not using labor to treat sick calves or tube feed calves that will not drink, nor arethey spending money on other scour medications.
“If you have a calf that has scours and dies, you have just lost anywhere from $500 to $700,” explains Dr. Farruggio. “You can treat about 50 calves with First Arrival for the price of losing that one heifer calf.”
First Arrival is a registered trademark, and Encrypt is a trademark of DBC Agricultural Products.