Calves are born without functional immunity and must absorb maternal antibodies from colostrum within the first 24 hours of life. Failures in this process cause enormous preventable suffering in dairy and beef calves.
Failure of passive transfer is one of the most preventable causes of suffering and death in young calves. Calves with inadequate immunity experience more frequent and severe infections including septicemia, scours, and pneumonia. These are painful conditions that often result in death or require antibiotic treatment. The tragedy is that FPT is largely preventable through good management: ensuring calves receive adequate volumes (4 liters or more) of high-quality colostrum within the first 6 hours of life. In dairy systems where early separation is standard practice, this requires deliberate management protocols to feed colostrum artificially. Economic analysis consistently shows that investing in colostrum management pays dividends through reduced mortality and treatment costs.