Farming practices in Sweden related to feeding milk and colostrum from cows treated with antimicrobials to dairy calves

Table 1 Feeding calves colostrum from cows treated with antimicrobials at dry off

Are calves fed colostrum (WC) from cows treated with antimicrobials at dry off?	Number of farms	Proportion of farms¹(%)
Always	207	45
Only to heifer calves	0	0
Only to bull calves	18	4
Only if alternative colostrum is not available	84	19
Only if it is of sufficient quality	100	22
Never	49	11
Not responding	1	0
Other reason²	19	4

¹ Proportions add to more than 100% as some farmers ticked multiple answers.
² Some farmers stated that they never or rarely use antimicrobials at dry off, that colostrum from the treated dam is only given to her own newborn calf, that calves are given such colostrum only if they were accidently left with the dam or that they are obliged to let the newborn calf suckle its dam according to the rules for organic certification.

ISSN: 1751-0147