What Is It?

Some of the best Bovine Colostrum in the world is sourced from New Zealand.

Bovine Colostrum is collected from the first five milkings from selected dairy herds of healthy, pasture-fed dairy cows. Colostrum production and collection from the dairy farm is required to meet very strict quality control parameters and is covered by a Product Safety Programme (PSP).

All applicable herds are certified by AgriQuality New Zealand as being free from;

• List A diseases, such as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) which is also known as 'Mad Cow' Disease, contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, Foot and Mouth Disease and Rinderpest.
• Milk production hormone - BST (Bovine Somatropin), and which is prohibited from use in New Zealand.
• Pesticides
• Other undesirable residues.

The colostrum is screened for antibiotic presence to stringent industry standards.

Colostrum is chilled, rather than frozen in order to maintain integrity and biological activity of the Immunoglobulins, growth factors and other biological active components.

Colostrum is pasteurised to the most demanding of International Standards- 72ºC for 15 seconds, so that the highest microbiological Quality is assured.

Colostrum is further processed at low temperatures using proprietary technologies and manufactured using processes and equipment that are accredited to the internationally recognised Quality Assurance Standards, including ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Underpinning the Quality Management System is a HACCP based registered Product Safety Programme (PSP). The PSP incorporates all aspects of risk associated with the manufacture, packaging and storage of Colostrum.

This includes the control of people, engineering and maintenance, the environment, manufacturing and product testing, Quality Control and pathogen management.

Colostrum may be Kosher and Halaal certified.

Colostrum Collection: Calves

Calf health and productivity depends on colostrum quality and the acquisition of passive immunity. Calves are born without Immunoglobulins and are called 'agammaglobulinemic'. They must receive Colostrum, which contains the Immunoglobulin called IgG to establish immune protection from disease. Too low IgG levels will predispose Calves to health problems.

Calves must be fed approximately 100g of Immunoglobulin - IgG before twelve hours of age and up to 200g of IgG by the time of gut closure at 24 hours of age. This means that dairy calves should be administered 2-3 liters of good quality Colostrum at each of two (2) feedings provided prior to the calf reaching 12 hours of age, and it must be fed as soon as possible after birth. After the calf receives all the IgG it needs for passive immunity and protection, the balance is collected and manufactured into a powder.

As dairy cows usually produce up to 22-24 liters of Colostrum, there is still a large volume that can be collected and processed.

Colostrum and the main component -IgG is expressed as follows in the 60 hours following calving:

This shows the rapid decrease of IgG within this period. This is the reason that only the first five milkings are collected.

Thermal Denaturation of Immunoglobulins During Processing

Raw Colostrum

Pasteurisation is a critical quality parameter used during manufacture. Data collected during processing has shown that minimal denaturation occurs when raw colostrum is pasteurised. Table 1 illustrates this relationship.

Table 1. D-Values and z-values for IgG in bovine colostrum

D-value = time to inactivate 90% of the IgG z-value = degrees C necessary to reduce D value in one logarithmic cycle.

If a second pasteurisation step is a requirement of further processing, research has shown that 65ºC for 30 minutes has no effect on the activity of IgG.

Previous research conducted at 72ºC for 15 seconds found a reduction in IgG of approximately 10-30%. However, this reduction is likely to be dependent on the precise system into which the Colostrum is incorporated and the interactions of the components within this system. For example, salt causes IgG to become less susceptible to denaturation and aggregation during heat treatment.

It has been observed that the immunoglobulins are more sensitised after one heat treatment, which is why a greater amount of denaturation is observed on re-pasteurisation. Further studies are being conducted by NZDG in this area.

DISCLAIMER: The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food And Drug Administration. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. The statements are for informational purposes only and is it not meant to replace the services or recommendations of a physician or qualified health care practitioner. Those with health problems or pregnancy are specifically advised that they should consult their physician before taking colostrum or any nutritional supplement.