I'll put this in white to avoid paining the sensitivities of anyone eating their food or taking a drink whilst checking this thread...

>laxative

Indeed, apart from the antibodies involved (which makes it no less than vital that calves drink their dam's colostrum), it also serves this important function in the bovine herd. What is slightly less easy to come to terms with at first glance is the positive fervo(u)r with which the dam licks the arse of the calf to encourage its' first bowel movement ~ and the apparent relish with which said first dropping, which is vivid orangey-yellow and quite markedly slimy, is consumed by the cow! However, if the cow failed in this task we noticed a marked downturn in the dam's ensuing health, so there is clearly some, er, deep-seated reason for this series of moti~, er, actions...