Slide Set 14: Colostrum Flashcards
What is colostrum?
the first secretion produced by the mammary gland after birth
When is it not colostrum anymore and what is it called after?
secretion from the second to eight milking is called transitional milk
What are the differences between colostrum and milk?
- colostrum has 10 fold more vitamin A
- colostrum has 3 fold more vitamin D
- colostrum has 10-17 fold more iron
- colostrum has higher Ca, P, Mg, and Cl and lower K
- colostrum has higher levels of oligosaccharides
- colostrum has higher level of K-casein
What is the major compartment of the stomach in newborn calf?
abomasum
When does gut closure occur in cows?
the small intestine can absorb large molecules during the first 24-36h after birth (gut closure follows)
Why is there no retention of Igs in the stomach?
colostrum contains trypsin inhibitor but not chymotrypsin inhibitor
What are the 3 key points for successful colostrum feeding?
- time of feeding
- amount of colostrum fed
- quality of colostrum fed (higher the quality, less amount you need)
What is the effect of time of feeding on Igs absorption?
- increased digestion of antibodies
2. gut closure (24h in calves, 36-48h in piglets, 24-48h in cats, dogs, and foal)
What is the quality of colostrum based on?
- appearance (thick, creamy, more total solids)
- age of cow (colostrum from older cows have has higher Igs than that from younger cows)
- amount of colostrum produced (the higher the amount, the lower the concentration of colostrum)
How much colostrum is needed?
to ensure a successful immunity transfer, 100g of Igs must be consumed immediately after birth
What are the assumption that are made when we say 100g of Igs must be consumed immediately after birth?
- plasma volume of calf is 6.5% of body weight
- the average weight of a newborn calf is 40kg
- average absorption efficiency of Igs is 25%
How do you calculate the amount of colostrum needed?
from good quality colostrum (60g/L of Igs): 100/60 = 1.7L
from poor quality colostrum (35g/L of Igs): 100/35 = 3L
What is a colostrometer? What are the categories?
measures specific gravity of colostrum.
- Green (>50g/L) excellent
- Yellow (22-50g/L) immediate quality
- Red (<20g/L) poor quality
How does a refractometer work when measuring the quality of colostrum?
- the scale in a Brix refractometer is designed to measure the amount of sucrose in a solution
- brix values can be related to IgG in colostrum.
What is a good quality colostrum on a refractometer?
a brix reading greater than 21% indicates that the colostrum has sufficient IgG (>50g/L)
Target for colostrum on a refractometer
superior (50-140g/L)
moderate (20-50g/L)
inferior (<20g/L)
Best colostrum comes from:
- older cows
- cows that are dried for >3 weeks
- cows that are not leaking
What do you do with surplus colostrum?
keep refrigerated for a week
keep frozen for a year
thaw in warm water 39’C
What is an indication of a successful or a failed transfer of colostrum in calves?
successful: plasma Ig level >10g/L
failed: plasma Ig level <10g/L
foal >200mg/dL (successful) and <200mg/dL (failed)
What are the features of fermented colostrum?
- collected from cows for the first 6-8 milking
- stored at room temperature (15-25C)
- pH of 4.5
- Do not store for >30 days
What are the non nutritional factors found in colostrum?
- enzymes and growth factors
- antibodies
- immunoglobulins
- hormones
- steroids
- leukocytes
- intestinal protective factors
What are some commercial use of bovine colostrum?
- bovine colostrum contains large number of naturally occurring immunoglobulins
- there is a potential to use bovine Igs in human immuno-therapy
- two possible uses:
1. treatment and prevention of pathogens that are resistant to other vaccines (e.g. infant diarrhea)
2. fortification of acquired (humoral) immunity in immune-deficient disorders (e.g. AIDS)
What are some clinical uses of bovine colostrum?
naturaceuticals and functional foods from colostrum
1. isolation of growth factors, insulin-like growth factors, transforming growth factors
potential products
- growth promoters and serum substitutes for tissue culture
- immunomodulator for wound healing and other clinical application
2. production of broad-spectrum hyper-immune milk:
- immunization of cows with antigens from human pathogens to increase antibodies content of milk
- potential uses: HTN, inflammation, arthritis
