In any case it should consume at least two quarts within the first six hours. Colostrum may be saved from mature cows and frozen for use when needed. Calves intended to be raised on a milk replacer should get whole milk or surplus colostrum for at least the first ten days. The quality of a milk replacer is also important. A clean site for being born gives the calf a head start on infections.
Pasture is the better place but many times it is necessary to calve in confinement.
Maternity stalls should be cleaned and sanitized between occupants. Soak the calf's navel in iodine as soon as practical. Except in cow-calf enterprises, calves should be isolated from one another. If a calf must be purchased to put on a cow that lost her own calf, isolate that cow and calf from the rest of the herd. Calf hutches are a very practical way to effectively isolate dairy calves from one another.