About Colostrum

What is Colostrum?^1,2

Colostrum is a milky fluid that comes from the mammary glands of humans and animals during the first few days after giving birth before mature milk appears. It contains:

• High concentrations of antibodies to help protect the newborn against disease and infection.
• Immune and growth factors, and other bioactive-rich components that help to activate a newborn's immune system, gut function and microbiome in the first few days of life
• These nutrients and compounds are essential for a newborn's health, growth and vitality.

Colostrum’s Composition Is Better Than Mature Milk

Colostrum differs in composition from ‘mature’ milk, containing significantly higher levels of bioactive compounds, growth factors, immunoglobulins, and immune factors. Micro and macronutrient profiles differ, with colostrum containing lower levels of lactose and higher levels of proteins, fats and certain minerals and vitamins.¹

Dairy Cows Are a Potent Source of Colostrum

• Colostrum collected from dairy cows (bovine) is functionally similar to human colostrum in its composition and nutrient profile.⁵
• Cows that have just given birth produce large quantities of colostrum for several days.¹
  • A newborn calf requires colostrum to initiate immune protection as calves do not have a developed immune system when born. 
  • The newborn calf’s life depends on receiving colostrum as soon as possible, but it does not need it all. 
  • The excess colostrum is used for veterinary, agriculture, and human supplementation purposes.
• Colostrum harvesting does not impact the health of newborn calves.¹

Bovine Colostrum Benefits 

Bovine colostrum’s nutritional and bioactive-rich components work in tandem and from multiple mechanisms of action to provide immune and gut health-related support to humans and animals through their stages of life.

Bovine colostrum’s benefits begin in the gut, holistically supporting the body’s overall health and wellness.

Bovine Colostrum Can Be Utilized In Many Product Categories 

Bovine Colostrum Manufacturing Expertise 

Three Colostrum Powerhouses Now Under Glanbia Nutritionals

The addition of the Sterling Technology, APS BioGroup and La Belle Associates colostrum manufacturing businesses under Glanbia Nutritionals brings over 40 years of bovine colostrum experience and a wealth of manufacturing knowledge and know-how. We are experts in bovine colostrum production and formulation for the human and animal markets. 

Bovine Colostrum Manufacturing At a Glance 

Bovine Colostrum Production 

We control every stage of production from collection through processing in state-of-the-art vertically integrated facilities.

Colostrum Collection & Processing 

We contract with 1,000 + quality dairies to purchase and ethically collect excess bovine colostrum.

Bovine Colostrum Manufacturing Facilities

With three state-of-the-art production facilities strategically located within the U.S., we are equipped to deliver on our 3,500+ MT human and animal-grade colostrum production capacity.

Facility Certifications and Memberships

Our facilities are SGS GMP, 21CFR117/111 compliant and meet all requirements for safety and quality, holding many industry certifications and memberships.

Quality Is In Everything We Do

Extensive quality testing procedures are in place for all batches of colostrum ingredients and animal finished products to ensure specifications and optimal levels of bioactivity are met.

References

1.    Food Production, Processing and Nutrition (2022) 4:26 
2.    Clinical Nutrition Open Science 44 (2022) 126-143
3.    PLOS ONE. (2020) 15(6):e0234719
4.    Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. Jour. (2013) 1(1):37-47
5.    McGrath, B.A., Fox, P.F., McSweeney, P.L.H. et al. Composition and properties of bovine colostrum: a review. Dairy Sci. & Technol. 2016;96, 133–158.
6.    Wiertsema SP, et al. The Interplay between the Gut Microbiome and the Immune System in the Context of Infectious Diseases throughout Life and the Role of Nutrition in Optimizing Treatment Strategies. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):886.
7.    BMC Sports Sci. Med. Rehabil. 2016;8:21. doi: 10.1186, 
8.    J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20
9.    Dig Dis Sci. 2024 Apr;69(4):1345-1360.
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13.    The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 36(1).
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15.    Trop. Anim. Health Prod. 2021;53:50.
16.    The Veterinary Journal, 199(2), pp.295-299
17.    Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2019 Nov; 35(3): 535–556.
18.    J Vet Intern Med. (2000) 14:569–77.
19.    Agric. Sci. 2017;8:572–581.
20.    Vet Sci. 2023 Feb; 10(2): 128.