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Colostrum Quality

The colostrum quality depends on many factors. Colostrum as a highly sensitive agricultural product requires a gentle handling throughout the entire procedure of processing.


The husbandry and care of the cows, the method of preservation and the drying technology used are of the utmost importance for the best quality of colostrum. Being able to judge the quality of colostrum creates confidence. As a manufacturer of colostrum products we'd like to explain to you all the elements necessary for a comprehensive assessment of colostrum quality. With this knowledge you can independently evaluate a wide variety of colostrum products. And if you would like to convince yourself on site you are always welcome to visit us!

 

  • at colostrum suppliers you'll find information about the agricultural production of colostrum and their standards and specifications.


In the colostrum quality matrix below you will find an aid to independently assess and evaluate product quality. Ultimately transparency and credibility are important prerequisites for building up trust.


points
scale
 farming
method
 age of
colostrum
 method of
sterilisation
 removing of
components
 method of
drying
4
 bio-dynamic up to 6 hours
 monitoring
without treat.
 no components
removed
 none /
liquid raw
3
 organic
 up to 12 hours microfiltration
or
pasteurisation
(63°C/30 min.)		 extraction of
fat and casein		 freeze-
drying
2
 conventional up to 24 hours standardisation
of ingredients
 spray-
drying
1
 industrial
> 500 cows
 up to 72 hours pasteurisation
(74°C/15 sec.)		 hyper-
immunisation		 condensation

You can now use the table to mark the characteristics of your product in the 5 columns and add up the points:


  • the best colostrum quality gets 20 points = raw untreated colostrum
  • the worst quality gets only 5 points = denatured in all processing steps


As an example our cow colostrum optimal is listed:


1. column
 raw colostrum from bio-dynamic farming= 4 points
2. column from the first 12 hours
 = 3 points
3. column without heat treatment
 = 4 points
4. column no components extracted
= 4 points
5. column freeze-dried
 = 3 points
TOTAL
= 18 points



  • about different farming methods:

Chemical and pharmaceutical additives are often used in large farms. A milk performance-increasing, mostly alien feeding is practised. And due to one-sided breeding, the lifespan of the cows is often less than 6 years. In contrast, Bio- and Demeter farms see themselves as holistic farm organisms with a more or less closed cycle in terms of their own fertilisation and feeding.


  • about the age of the raw colostrum:

The total protein content of the raw colostrum including all immune factors decreases massively within the first 24 hours. The 12-hour colostrum has established itself as the gold standard for the production of colostrum products. 6-hour colostrum would be even more concentrated, but can hardly be offered profitably. In colostrum products from the first 72 hours, as they are offered from New Zealand, the content of immune factors is already very strongly diluted.


  • about different sterilisation methods:

Both cold filtration and pasteurisation affect the quality of raw colostrum in their own way. Cold filtration extracts the fat and fat-soluble components as well as the physiologically active caseins. Pasteurisation primarily results in the loss of the enzymes. Low temperature pasteurisation (LTP) at 63°C is still well tolerated by the proteins without damaging them. The untreated, microbiologically controlled colostrum preserves all the advantages of a raw milk quality.


  • about the removal of colostrum components:

Only in wholesome colostrum can the synergies of the many ingredients unfold. Liquid colostrum products are only an extract which corresponds to whey. It doesn't make sense either to enrich certain components at the expense of others standardisation).


  • about methods of drying:

Freeze-drying is the most gentle yet more complex and expensive method. In comparison spray drying is used industrially to produce milk or colostrum whey powder on a large scale.