What is Colostrum , What does it do and why do my baby goats need it?
Baby goats cannot utilize the immunity properties of colostrum after 24
hours of life, the first 12 hours being when they are able to
assimilate the qualities of this colostrum at it's highest potential
and the following 12 hours about half of what they were able to utilize
in the first 12 hours. After 36 hours the colostrum becomes rich food
for baby and the baby's body no long is able to draw from the
antibodies it provided.
Colostrum provides the antibodies in the first milk from the doe to the
kids- the kids are born without an immune system of their own, drinking
colostrum from the mom provides immunity to things mom has come in
contact with on her farm- This being said.. It takes approximately 5
months for a goat to build immunity to things in it's environment, SO
if you have a doe who you brought to your home say 3 months prior to
kidding, that doe has not yet built antibodies to the things she is now
in contact with at your farm- therefore, the colostrum she is providing
for the kids will not provide immunity to the things at YOUR farm- but
will provide immunity to the things from the previous farm the doe
resided. ALSO If I have a farm directly across the road from Your farm,
my immune system in my goats will still be different than Your farm
immunity. So If I need colostrum or you need colostrum and we get it
from one another, our babies are not being given antibodies for
immunity to their environment. (THIS HAS been verified by more than
one research goat veterinarian, Including Colorado Serum company who
makes vaccines etc.) NOW THIS being said,, what makes anyone think
(including the companies who make them) that store bought colostrum
substitutes or supplements will provide immunity to anything at all?
It's a marketing ploy for purchasing one more product we really do
not need. While it may provide great vitamins and minerals etc.. it
DOES NOT provide immune system requirements for the kids. You are safe
to use any saved or recently gathered colostrum for any doe on your
farm who has lived there for 5 months or longer. As long as the kid
ingests this within the first 24 hours of life preferably the first 12
hours.
AGRI LABORATORIES LTD.
Colostrx Plus ingredients:
Bovine Serum, Dried Whey, Lecithin, Mineral Oil, Polyoxyethylene Glycol
(400) Mono & Dioleates, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Natural &
Artificial Flavors, Magnesium Sulfate.
Sav-A-Caf USDA Colostrum Supplement
Ingredients:
Dried milk (feed grade), dried whey, polyethylene glycol and/or
glycerine, silicon dioxide, vitamin E supplement, iron sulfate, zinc
sulfate, choline chloride, vitamin A acetate, D-calcium pantothenate,
manganese sulfate, calcium carbonate, ascorbic acid, niacin supplement,
dicalcium phosphate, magnesium oxide, riboflavin supplement,
sodiumchloride, vitamin D3 supplement, ethylenediaminedihydroxide, pyroxidine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12
supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K
activity), sodium selenite, cobalt sulfate, folic acid, mineral oil,
artificial flavor, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product,
Lactobacillus lactis fermentation product, Lactobacillus casei
fermentation product, Streptococcus diacetylactis fermentation product,
Bifidobacterium bifidum fermentation product
Colostrum Supplement Manna Pro® Ingredients: Dried
whey protein concentrate, dried whey, animal fat (preserved with BHA,
BHT, citric acid and ethoxyquin), dried bovine colostrum, dried whey
product, dextrose, lecithin, ethoxylated mono-diglycerides, propylene
glycol, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, dried skimmed milk,
sodium silico aluminate, l-lysine, ferrous sulfate, choline chloride,
magnesium sulfate, vitamin E supplement, artificial flavor, ascorbic
acid, dl-methionine, zinc sulfate, vitamin A supplement, manganese
sulfate, sodium selenite, niacin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement,
copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, biotin, riboflavin supplement,
cobalt sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, calcium
iodate, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid.
Ultra Start™ Sav-A-Caf®
Milk Products, LLC
Ingredients:
Dried bovine colostrums, animal fat (preserved
with BHA, BHT, citric acid and ethoxyquin), dried whey protein
concentrate, dried whey product, dried whey, dried skimmed milk,
coconut oil, lecithin, ethoxylated mono & diglycerides, calcium
carbonate, yeast primary dehydrated and brewer’s dried yeast, dried
corn syrup, sodium silico aluminate, dicalcium phosphate.
L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate,
choline chloride, magnesium sulfate, potassium sorbate (preservative),
zinc sulfate, DlL- methionine, vitamin A supplement, manganese sulfate,
ascorbic acid, dried milk protein, sodium selenite,niacin supplement,
vitamin D3 supplement, copper sulfate, calcium
pantothenate, calcium lodate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex
(source of vitamin K activity), biotin, riboflavin supplement, cobalt
sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, pyroxidine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, artificial flavor.
Calf’s Choice Total® Dried Colostrum
The Saskatoon Colostrum Co. Ltd.
Thsi one doesn't even say what all it has in it..
Ingredients:
Contains more than 100 grams of globulin proteins and is made only from natural bovine colostrums. 
My point being.. which of the ingredients say antibodies?
While some may be decent supplements, being that the package says
colostrum supplement, people are fooled into thinking they have now
protected the kids with colostrum which they in fact have not.
There are three types of serum proteins, including globulin, albumin,
as well as fibrinogen. Which is why I suppose people used to add egg to
milk to "make colostrum"
This is a clip from Goat Medicine supporting my views on colostrum supplements
Furthermore..
Human colostrum
Newborns have very small digestive systems,
and colostrum delivers its nutrients in a very concentrated low-volume
form. It has a mild laxative effect, encouraging the passing of the
baby's first stool, which is called meconium. This clears excess
bilirubin, a waste product of dead red blood cells which is produced in
large quantities at birth due to blood volume reduction, from the
infant's body and helps prevent jaundice. Colostrum is known to contain
antibodies called immunoglobulins such as IgA, IgG and IgM in mammals.
IgA is absorbed through the intestinal epithelium, travels through the
blood, and is secreted onto other Type 1 mucosal surfaces. These are
the major components of the adaptive immune system. Other immune
components of colostrum include the major components of the innate
immune system, such as lactoferrin,lysozyme,lactoperoxidase,complement, and proline-rich polypeptides (PRP).
A number of cytokines (small messenger peptides that control the
functioning of the immune system) are found in colostrum as well, including interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, chemokines, and others. Colostrum also contains a number of growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factors I, and II, transforming growth factors alpha, beta 1 and beta 2, fibroblast growth factors,epidermal growth factor, granulocyte-macrophage-stimulating growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and colony-stimulating factor-1.
Chemically, colostrum is very rich in proteins, vitamin A, and
sodium chloride, but contains lower amounts of carbohydrates, lipids,
and potassium than normal milk. The most pertinent bioactive components
in colostrum are growth factors and antimicrobial factors. The
antibodies in colostrum provide passive immunity while growth factors
stimulate the development of the gut. They are passed to the neonate
and provide the first protection against pathogens. The passive
immunity from the mother gets transferred to the newborn.
In animal husbandry
Livestock breeders commonly bank colostrum from their animals.
Colostrum produced on a breeder's own premises is considered to be
superior to colostrum from other sources, because it is produced by
animals already exposed to (and thus making antibodies to) pathogens
occurring on the premises.
ALSO keep in mind, the best colostrum used to freeze for later use or
orphan kids, is the colostrum collected at or after 12 hours of
kidding- as this colostrum has the highest concentration of lg - this
concentration falls rapidly in the does colostrum after 12 hours of
freshening. Kids need to intake 90mls (1 ounce is 30mls so basically 3
ounces per feeding for at least 3 feedings in a 12-24 hour period) at
least 3 feedings within a 12-24 hour period after brith - remembering
the first 12 hours is most important. Figure no less
than 10% of the baby's body weight in colostrum inthe first 12 hours.
(a 10lb baby will need no less than 1lb (16 ounces) of colostrum in
the first 12 hours - NOT to be given all in one feeding)
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