Turns Out "Liquid Gold” May Not Be Gold At All

Colostrum has earned the unofficial moniker “liquid gold,” because of its typically golden color, along with the golden benefits it confers for calf health, growth, and lifetime performance.

But there’s a common misconception that colostrum’s gold color is indicative of its quality. That’s not necessarily the case, according to Hanne Skovsgaard Pedersen, a veterinarian, researcher, and calf specialist with Denmark-based ColoQuick.

“When I go out on farms, I often hear that we can evaluate colostrum by looking at its color and viscosity.” Pedersen stated on a recent colostrum webinar sponsored by AVA Group Inc. “But we’ve learned that there is not a very strong correlation between color, viscosity, and antibody concentration.”

Pedersen shared an example of three first-milking colostrum batches harvested the same morning on a single dairy. They ranged in appearance from thick and bright, golden yellow; to relatively thin and nearly white.

Evaluation for quality with a Brix refractometer yielded surprising results. The best sample? The thin, white batch, with a Brix reading of 27. The thick, yellow batch showed a Brix reading of 18, while the intermediate-appearing batch scored 21. In this example, true quality was actually the direct inverse of perceived quality by visual assessment alone.

In addition to measuring colostrum quality, Pedersen emphasized timely administration, explaining that the sieve-like permeations in the intestinal wall close rapidly in the hours after birth, so the time window in which antibodies can be distributed into the bloodstream is small.

Likewise, heavy bacteria loads can clog that distribution process, so hygienic harvest and handling of colostrum are also critical. Proper handling also helps to preserve the antibodies and bioactive compounds in colostrum, according to Pedersen.

Pasteurizing colostrum can help to ensure clean colostrum, but it also can be a cumbersome process. ColoQuick has developed a closed-loop system in which colostrum is pasteurized and frozen in the same liner bag that fits inside a sturdy, plastic cartridge. When a calf is born, the cartridge can be removed from the freezer, thawed for 20 minutes, and fed immediately to the calf – even before the dam is milked.

When her colostrum is harvested, it should be tested for quality, and – if it meets the dairy’s standards -- pasteurized and frozen via the same process. Upon use, the water bath unit spins the cartridge 360°, which allows for complete and uniform thawing of both the periphery and center of each dose of frozen colostrum. ColoQuick also offers nipple and esophageal feeder attachments, so colostrum can be fed directly from the bag.

For all of its merits, colostrum is only as valuable as the efforts invested in managing it. Pedersen said intentional colostrum management requires setting goals for hygienic harvest; quality, sorting, and delivery; well-defined management protocols; and ongoing data monitoring.

“Colostrum itself is not the main factor for success. Rather, it is the way you handle and process it,” she stated. “You can have the best colostrum on hand, but if it is not processed correctly, then the potential is lost.”

For more on calf health, read:

• Try to Keep Dry to Prevent Crypto
• Slow-Flow Nipples Mimic Natural Milk Flow
• Well-Grown Heifers Bring More Value
• Four Tips for Cleaning and Storing Calf Jackets
• 7 Tips for More Effective Vaccination Programs in Calves