These resources are brought to you by the Cooperative Extension System and your Local Institution

Beef Cattle Home

Have a question? Try asking one of our Experts

How much colostrum does a newborn calf need?

Last Updated: February 26, 2008

View as web page


As a general rule of thumb, a calf should receive 5 to 6 percent of its body weight as colostrum within the first 6 hours of life. That same amount should be fed again when the calf is about 12 hours old. Colostrum weighs approximately 8 pounds per gallon. For an 80-pound calf, this equates to approximately 2 quarts (4 pounds) of colostrum per feeding.

Browse related Faqs by tag: beef cattle, calves, colostrum


Have a specific question? Try asking one of our Experts

Unlike most other resources on the web, we have experts from Universities around the country ready to answer your questions.