Bovine Colostrum Products Research Articles

A Review: The Effect of Bovine Colostrum on Immunity in People of All Ages.

Bovine colostrum provides newborn calves with strong passive immunity, which will further affect the immunity of their offspring. Compared with other commercial dairy products, bovine colostrum emphasizes the limit of aflatoxin M1, pathogenic bacteria, microorganisms, antibiotics, stimulants, and other items, so it is safe to use. There are many reports that the use of bovine colostrum as a breast milk fortifier for preterm infants provides necessary immune support for premature infants, but the selection of bovine colostrum products chosen must be free of Bacillus cereus because they are very dangerous for premature infants. This also emphasizes that for the bovine colostrum that is used in preterm infants, more clinical research support is needed. At the same time, it should also be emphasized that the composition of BC is different from that of human colostrum, in particular, the main protein of BC is casein, while the main protein in breast milk is whey protein, especially α-lactalbumin, which together with ovalbumin is still the reference protein with the best biological value, especially for muscles. Therefore, bovine colostrum is currently not a complete substitute for breast milk. In recent years, in addition to reports of bovine colostrum use in preterm infants, studies have also found that bovine colostrum has immunomodulatory and promoting effects in adolescents, adults, and the elderly. This suggests that bovine colostrum has the potential to provide appropriate immune support for people of all ages. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the quality of nutritional characteristics of bovine colostrum on three dimensions. The effects of bovine colostrum on people of all ages is a narrative review of the effects of bovine colostrum on immunity in people of all ages. This review identified several classes of immunoactive substances in bovine colostrum, including immunoglobulins, cytokines, and enzymes, and compared the nutritional composition of bovine colostrum with mature milk, colostrum and mature milk in full-term breast milk, and colostrum and mature milk in preterm breast milk, to demonstrate that bovine colostrum provides a rich range of immunoactive components. In addition, the influencing factors affecting the quality of bovine colostrum (immunoglobulin) were reviewed, and it was found that individual differences, environmental factors, and processing methods had a great impact on the quality of BC. More importantly, the immunomodulatory effects of bovine colostrum in people of all ages were reviewed in detail (with an emphasis on preterm infants and immunocompromised children in neonates) as evidence to support the immunity effects of colostrum in people of all ages. This review hopes to use the above evidence to make people understand the health role of bovine colostrum as having a human immunomodulatory effect, and at the same time, when seeing the potential value of bovine colostrum in the future, the limitations of its application should also be deeply re-explored, such as lactose intolerance, allergies, etc., to provide effective solutions for the wide application of bovine colostrum.

Mineral supplementation for very preterm infants fed fortified human milk.

The safety and feasibility of human milk fortification with bovine colostrum (BC) were investigated in very preterm infants (FortiColos trial, NCT03537365). The BC product contained lower calcium, phosphate, and iron levels compared to the conventional fortifier (CF). We tested whether fortification with BC plus extra phosphate was sufficient to support the infants' mineral status assessed by blood biochemistry. In a randomised controlled trial (FortiColos, NCT03537365), mineral status was compared after fortification with BC versus CF. Blood calcium, phosphate, and haemoglobin were determined before and up to 3 weeks after the start of fortification (at the mean age of 8-9 days). The maximum supplemental doses of calcium, phosphate, and iron given were retrieved from patient medical records. Results were adjusted for gestational age,birth weight, and enteral nutrition with the mother's own milk and/or donor human milk. Blood values of calcium, phosphate, and haemoglobin were similar between groups. Infants in both groups required supplementation with calcium and phosphate, but infants fed BC required higher maximum doses of phosphate and calcium (p < 0.05) to maintain acceptable blood values. Regardless of fortification groups, the most immature (<29 weeks of gestation) and small for gestational ageinfants showed a higher risk for requiring additional phosphate (odds ratio [OR]: 3.9, p < 0.001; OR: 2.14, p = 0.07, respectively). The use of BC as a fortifier for human milk requires additional phosphate and calcium relative to a CF. Regardless of the fortification product, the most immature and small infants require additional mineral supplementation.

Bioactivity and efficacy of a hyperimmune bovine colostrum product- Travelan, against shigellosis in a non-Human primate model (Macaca mulatta)

Infectious diarrhea is a World Health Organization public health priority area due to the lack of effective vaccines and an accelerating global antimicrobial resistance crisis. New strategies are urgently needed such as immunoprophylactic for prevention of diarrheal diseases. Hyperimmune bovine colostrum (HBC) is an established and effective prophylactic for infectious diarrhea. The commercial HBC product, Travelan® (Immuron Ltd, Australia) targets multiple strains of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is highly effective in preventing diarrhea in human clinical studies. Although Travelan® targets ETEC, preliminary studies suggested cross-reactivity with other Gram-negative enteric pathogens including Shigella and Salmonella species. For this study we selected an invasive diarrheal/dysentery-causing enteric pathogen, Shigella, to evaluate the effectiveness of Travelan®, both in vitro and in vivo. Here we demonstrate broad cross-reactivity of Travelan® with all four Shigella spp. (S. flexneri, S. sonnei, S. dysenteriae and S. boydii) and important virulence factor Shigella antigens. Naïve juvenile rhesus macaques (NJRM) were randomized, 8 dosed with Travelan® and 4 with a placebo intragastrically twice daily over 6 days. All NJRM were challenged with S. flexneri 2a strain 2457T on the 4th day of treatment and monitored for diarrheal symptoms. All placebo-treated NJRM displayed acute dysentery symptoms within 24–36 hours of challenge. Two Travelan®-treated NJRM displayed dysentery symptoms and six animals remained healthy and symptom-free post challenge; resulting in 75% efficacy of prevention of shigellosis (p = 0.014). These results strongly indicate that Travelan® is functionally cross-reactive and an effective prophylactic for shigellosis. This has positive implications for the prophylactic use of Travelan® for protection against both ETEC and Shigella spp. diarrheal infections. Future refinement and expansion of pathogens recognized by HBC including Travelan® could revolutionize current management of gastrointestinal infections and outbreaks in travelers’ including military, peacekeepers, humanitarian workers and in populations living in endemic regions of the world.

Hyperimmune bovine colostrum containing lipopolysaccharide antibodies (IMM124-E) has a nondetrimental effect on gut microbial communities in unchallenged mice.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a leading cause of bacterial diarrhea with the potential to cause long-term gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction. Preventative treatments for ETEC-induced diarrhea exist, yet the effects of these treatments on GI commensals in healthy individuals are unclear. Whether administration of a prophylactic preventative treatment for ETEC-induced diarrhea causes specific shifts in gut microbial populations in controlled environments is also unknown. Here, we studied the effects of a hyperimmune bovine colostrum (IMM-124E) used in the manufacture of Travelan (AUST L 106709) on GI bacteria in healthy C57BL/6 mice. Using next-generation sequencing, we aimed to test the onset and magnitude of potential changes to the mouse gut microbiome in response to the antidiarrheagenic hyperimmune bovine colostrum product, rich in immunoglobulins against select ETEC strains (Travelan, Immuron Ltd). We show that in mice administered colostrum containing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antibodies, there was an increased abundance of potentially gut-beneficial bacteria, such as Akkermansia and Desulfovibrio, without disrupting the underlying ecology of the GI tract. Compared to controls, there was no difference in overall weight gain, body or cecal weights, or small intestine length following LPS antibody colostrum supplementation. Overall, dietary supplementation with colostrum containing LPS antibodies produced subtle alterations in the gut bacterial composition of mice. Primarily, Travelan LPS antibody treatment decreased the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes in gut microbial populations in unchallenged healthy mice. Further studies are required to examine the effect of Travelan LPS antibody treatment to engineer the microbiome in a diseased state and during recovery.

Host innate immune responses and microbiome profile of neonatal calves challenged with Cryptosporidium parvum and the effect of bovine colostrum supplementation.

Calves are highly susceptible to gastrointestinal infection with Cryptosporidium parvum (C. parvum), which can result in watery diarrhea and eventually death or impaired development. With little to no effective therapeutics, understanding the host's microbiota and pathogen interaction at the mucosal immune system has been critical to identify and test novel control strategies. Herein, we used an experimental model of C. parvum challenge in neonatal calves to describe the clinical signs and histological and proteomic profiling of the mucosal innate immunity and microbiota shifts by metagenomics in the ileum and colon during cryptosporidiosis. Also, we investigated the impact of supplemental colostrum feeding on C. parvum infection. We showed that C. parvum challenged calves experienced clinical signs including pyrexia and diarrhea 5 days post challenge. These calves showed ulcerative neutrophil ileitis with a proteomic signature driven by inflammatory effectors, including reactive oxygen species and myeloperoxidases. Colitis was also noticed with an aggravated mucin barrier depletion and incompletely filled goblet cells. The C. parvum challenged calves also displayed a pronounced dysbiosis with a high prevalence of Clostridium species (spp.) and number of exotoxins, adherence factors, and secretion systems related to Clostridium spp. and other enteropathogens, including Campylobacter spp., Escherichia sp., Shigella spp., and Listeria spp. Daily supplementation with a high-quality bovine colostrum product mitigated some of the clinical signs and modulated the gut immune response and concomitant microbiota to a pattern more similar to that of healthy unchallenged calves. C. parvum infection in neonatal calves provoked severe diarrheic neutrophilic enterocolitis, perhaps augmented due to the lack of fully developed innate gut defenses. Colostrum supplementation showed limited effect mitigating diarrhea but demonstrated some clinical alleviation and specific modulatory influence on host gut immune responses and concomitant microbiota.

Immunomodulatory Effects of Modified Bovine Colostrum, Whey, and Their Combination with Other Natural Products: Effects on Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Many natural products have immunomodulatory properties. However, the mechanism of immunomodulatory activities are poorly understood. This study evaluated the influence of bovine colostrum products, a whey product, or their combinations with other natural products on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells' (PBMC) ability to produce cytokines upon activation. PBMCs were pretreated with ultrafiltered colostrum, nano-filtered bovine colostrum, egg yolk extract, a botanical blend, colostrum + egg yolk extract, colostrum + egg yolk + botanical blend, and fermented whey and then stimulated with lipopolysaccharide or phytohemagglutinin. Cytokine production was measured by the Luminex assay. All study products demonstrated immunomodulatory properties by regulating cytokines production by activated PBMCs. Ultrafiltered colostrum alone displayed the highest immune stimulatory activity. It stimulated proinflammatory cytokine production by lipopolysaccharide-activated PBMCs and suppressed cytokine production by phytohemagglutinin-activated cells. Other study products mainly suppressed cytokine release by both cell types. The immunomodulatory properties depended upon the dose of the products used in the study. All tested products modulated innate and adaptive immune cell activities. Most of the products demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties, except ultrafiltered colostrum, which stimulated the lipopolysaccharide-activated PBMC production of inflammatory cytokines. These products can be potentially used to support overall immune health.

Insights into the Research Trends on Bovine Colostrum: Beneficial Health Perspectives with Special Reference to Manufacturing of Functional Foods and Feed Supplements.

Bovine colostrum (BC) is the initial mammary secretion after parturition, which is nature’s bountiful source consisting of nutritional and bioactive components present in a highly concentrated low-volume format. All mammalian newborns require colostrum to enhance physiological processes such as lifelong immunity, gastrointestinal development, and resistance to microbial infections. The genetic, environmental, and processing methods can all have an impact on the biochemical contents of BC and its supplements. BC and its derivatives have been intensively researched for their potential use in functional foods, medicines, and animal feed. Evidence from clinical studies suggests that BC products are well-tolerated, nontoxic, and safe for human ingestion. Functional foods, feed, and pharmaceutical formulations based on bovine colostrum are playing noteworthy roles in the development of innovative products for promoting health and the prevention of chronic illnesses. This systematic review sheds light on recent research on (a) the effects of processing techniques on BC components, (b) emerging techniques used in the isolation and identification of novel components, (c) BC-based functional foods for human consumption and animal feed supplements, and (d) the role of BC in current drug delivery, as well as future recommendations.

The Use of Bovine Colostrum in Sport and Exercise.

There has been a great deal of interest in bovine colostrum within sports nutrition over the last 25 years. Studies have investigated the effects on body composition, physical performance, recovery, gut damage and permeability, immune function, and illness risk. This narrative review considers available evidence in each of these areas. Although some studies have shown protection against performance decrements caused by periods of intensified training, there is limited evidence for effects on body composition and physical performance. There is stronger evidence for benefit on gut permeability and damage markers and on immune function and illness risk, especially during periods of intensified training. The balance of available evidence for gut permeability and illness risk is positive, but further research is required to fully determine all mechanisms responsible for these effects. Early suggestions that supplementation with bovine colostrum products could increase systemic IGF-1 levels are not supported by the balance of available evidence examining a range of doses over both short- and long-term periods. Nevertheless, dose–response studies would be valuable for determining the minimum efficacious dose, although this is complicated by variability in bioactivity between products, making any dose–response findings applicable only to the specific products used in such studies.

Discovery of lipid biomarkers between bovine colostrum and milk using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS lipidomics

Sixty-three significantly different lipids from bovine colostrum (BC) and bovine milk (BM) were quantified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-Q exactive orbitrap-mass spectrometry lipidomics and selected based criteria that included area under curve (AUC) value of the receiving operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis >0.9. Four potential lipid biomarkers, including two up-regulated lipids, namely PE (P-16:0/22:5), and PE (P-16:0/20:4), and two down-regulated lipids, Hex2Cer (d14:0/24:0), and Hex2Cer (d15:0/24:1), were selected as a potential lipid biomarkers for further analysis. The orthogonal projections to latent structures-discriminate analysis (OPLS-DA), permutation tests of OPLS-DA, and receiving operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were further implemented to validate the reliability and stability of the potential lipid biomarkers. The four lipid biomarkers had an AUC value of 1 in the ROC curve analysis, showing a good classification performance. These results could contribute to purity analysis of BC products and a theoretical basis for the detection of lipids over lactation.

Anti-CfaE nanobodies provide broad cross-protection against major pathogenic enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains, with implications for vaccine design

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is estimated to cause approximately 380,000 deaths annually during sporadic or epidemic outbreaks worldwide. Development of vaccines against ETEC is very challenging due to the vast heterogeneity of the ETEC strains. An effective vaccines would have to be multicomponent to provide coverage of over ten ETEC strains with genetic variabilities. There is currently no vaccine licensed to prevent ETEC. Nanobodies are successful new biologics in treating mucosal infectious disease as they recognize conserved epitopes on hypervariable pathogens. Cocktails consisting of multiple nanobodies could provide even broader epitope coverage at a lower cost compared to monoclonal antibodies. Identification of conserved epitopes by nanobodies can also assist reverse engineering of an effective vaccine against ETEC. By screening nanobodies from immunized llamas and a naïve yeast display library against adhesins of colonization factors, we identified single nanobodies that show cross-protective potency against eleven major pathogenic ETEC strains in vitro. Oral administration of nanobodies led to a significant reduction of bacterial colonization in animals. Moreover, nanobody-IgA fusion showed extended inhibitory activity in mouse colonization compared to commercial hyperimmune bovine colostrum product used for prevention of ETEC-induced diarrhea. Structural analysis revealed that nanobodies recognized a highly-conserved epitope within the putative receptor binding region of ETEC adhesins. Our findings support further rational design of a pan-ETEC vaccine to elicit robust immune responses targeting this conserved epitope.

Therapeutic Applications of Human and Bovine Colostrum in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases and Distinctive Cancer Types: The Current Evidence.

The incidence of gastrointestinal disorders (GID) and cancers is escalating all over the world. Limited consumption of colostrum by newborns not only weakens the immune system but also predisposes infants to microbial infections. Colostrum is nature’s perfect food, sometimes referred to as the ‘elixir of life’. Breast-fed infants have a lower incidence of GI tract infections than infants fed formula or cow’s milk. As per WHO statistics, cancer is the most prevalent disease globally and causes 9.6 million deaths worldwide. The current strategies for treating cancer include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. However, chemotherapy and radiation exposure are usually associated with serious long-term side effects and deterioration in the quality of life (QOL) of patients. Furthermore, the hospitalization and medication costs for treating cancers are exorbitant and impose high economic burden on healthcare systems. People are desperately looking for cost-effective and affordable alternative therapies for treating GID and cancers. Therefore, there is an urgent need for clinically evaluating the anticancer compounds isolated from plants and animals. Such therapies would not only be economical and have fewer side effects, but also help to improve the QOL of cancer patients. Recently, bovine colostrum (BC) has caught the attention of many investigators to explore its anticancer potential in humans. BC impregnated dressings are highly effective in treating chronic wounds and diabetic foot ulcer. BC is rich in lactoferrin, a glycoprotein with strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-microbial properties. Intravaginal application of BC tablets is effective in causing the regression of low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The underlying mechanisms of BC at cellular, genetic, and molecular levels remain to be ascertained. Oral BC supplement is well-tolerated, but some people may experience problems such as flatulence and nausea. Well-designed, randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trials are needed to access the therapeutic potential, long-term safety, and optimal doses of BC products. This review is aimed to highlight the anticancer potential of BC and its components, and the therapeutic applications of BC supplements in treating gastrointestinal diseases in children and adults. We also discuss the health promotion benefits and therapeutic potential of BC nutraceuticals in reducing the incidence of non-communicable diseases.

Toxicological evaluations of colostrum ultrafiltrate

Colostrum has been consumed safely for many years as a food collected directly from cows. More recently, an ultrafiltrated bovine colostrum product has been developed; however, its safety in toxicology studies has not been extensively evaluated. To assess the safety of bovine colostrum ultrafiltrate, in accordance with internationally accepted standards, the genotoxic potential was investigated in a bacterial reverse mutation test, an in vitro chromosomal aberration test, and an in vivo mammalian micronucleus test. No mutagenicity or genotoxic activity was observed in these three tests. A 90-day repeated-dose oral toxicity study in Hsd.Han Wistar rats was conducted at doses of 0, 1050, 2100, and 4200 mg/kg bw/day by gavage. After 90 days of continuous exposure, no mortality or treatment-related adverse effects were observed, and no target organs were identified. The no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was determined to be 4200 mg/kg bw/day, the highest dose tested.

Pilot study of probiotic/colostrum supplementation on gut function in children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Over half of all children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have gastrointestinal (GI) co-morbidities including chronic constipation, diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome. The severity of these symptoms has been correlated with the degree of GI microbial dysbiosis. The study objective was to assess tolerability of a probiotic (Bifidobacterium infantis) in combination with a bovine colostrum product (BCP) as a source of prebiotic oligosaccharides and to evaluate GI, microbiome and immune factors in children with ASD and GI co-morbidities. This pilot study is a randomized, double blind, controlled trial of combination treatment (BCP + B. infantis) vs. BCP alone in a cross-over study in children ages 2–11 with ASD and GI co-morbidities (n = 8). This 12-week study included 5 weeks of probiotic-prebiotic supplementation, followed by a two-week washout period, and 5 weeks of prebiotic only supplementation. The primary outcome of tolerability was assessed using validated questionnaires of GI function and atypical behaviors, along with side effects. Results suggest that the combination treatment is well-tolerated in this cohort. The most common side effect was mild gassiness. Some participants on both treatments saw a reduction in the frequency of certain GI symptoms, as well as reduced occurrence of particular aberrant behaviors. Improvement may be explained by a reduction in IL-13 and TNF-α production in some participants. Although limited conclusions can be drawn from this small pilot study, the results support the need for further research into the efficacy of these treatments.

Laser perturbation two‐dimensional correlation Raman spectroscopy for quality control of bovine colostrum products

In this paper, laser perturbation two‐dimensional correlation Raman spectroscopy was explored as a rapid and reliable determination method for the assessment of bovine colostrum products and their analogue, namely, milk powder. Compared with the traditional instrumental analytical methods, such as chromatography, Raman spectroscopy measurements can be realized easily without the need of sample preparation. Two‐dimensional correlation spectroscopy can enhance the spectral resolution and provide more useful information of samples. Laser perturbation technique is a new way, which has been developed in this work; additionally, only few minutes (&lt;5 min) are in demand of the whole experiment process for one sample. Correlation coefficient method was employed to quantitatively analyze the similarities between bovine colostrum products and the other brands of milk powder that include bovine colostrum products containing some milk powder based on the developed two‐dimensional correlation Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the correlation coefficients between each bovine colostrum product with their mean value could reach 0.991 ± 0.003, which indicated that there were high similarities between these products. Under the same experimental conditions, the correlation coefficients between the bovine colostrum product (mean) and the other brands of milk powder that include bovine colostrum products containing some milk powder were located in the range of 0.596–0.761, far below the 0.991 ± 0.003. Hence, these results clearly demonstrated the utility of the laser perturbation two‐dimensional correlation Raman spectroscopy combined with correlation coefficient as a rapid method for quality control of bovine colostrum products. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Spray Dried, Pasteurised Bovine Colostrum Protects Against Gut Dysfunction and Inflammation in Preterm Pigs.

Feeding bovine colostrum (BC) improves gut maturation and function and protects against necrotizing enterocolitis, relative to formula in newborn preterm pigs. Before BC can be used for preterm infants, it is important to test if the milk processing, required to reduce bacterial load and increase shelf life, may affect bioactivity and efficacy of a BC product. We investigated if spray dried, pasteurised BC had protective effects on gut function in preterm pigs, relative to formula. After a 2-day total parenteral nutrition period, preterm pigs were fed formula for a few hours (to induce a proinflammatory state) followed by 2 days of formula (FORM, n = 14), BC (colostrum [COLOS], n = 14), spray-dried BC (POW, n = 8), or pasteurised, spray-dried BC (POWPAS, n = 9). Spray drying and pasteurisation of BC decreased the concentration of transforming growth factor-β1, -β2 and increased protein aggregation. All of the 3 BC groups had reduced necrotizing enterocolitis severity, small intestinal levels of IL-1β, -8, and colonic lactic acid levels, and increased intestinal villus height, hexose absorption, and digestive enzyme activities, relative to the FORM group (all P < 0.05). All of the 3 BC diets stimulated epithelial cell migration in a wound-healing model with IEC-6 cells. Spray drying and pasteurisation affect BC proteins, but do not reduce the trophic and anti-inflammatory effects of BC on the immature intestine. It remains to be studied if BC products will benefit preterm infants just after birth when human milk is often not available.

Determination of Bovine Immunoglobulin G in Bovine Colostrum Powders, Bovine Milk Powders, and Dietary Supplements Containing Bovine Colostrum Products by an Automated Direct Immunoassay with Optical Biosensor: Collaborative Study

Nine laboratories participated in an AOAC collaborative study to determine bovine immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels in selected dairy powders and dietary supplements by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) methodology. Each sample matrix was dissolved in buffer and suitably diluted to fit within the standard curve. The sample extract was injected over a surface functionalized with affinity-purified, polyclonal goat anti-bovine IgG (H+L) antibody; IgG was then detected. SPR detection was used for the direct immunoassay and quantification was made against a calibration curve prepared from bovine serum IgG. Between each standard and sample, the surface was regenerated using 10 mM glycine at pH 1.5. The samples analyzed included the likely matrixes for which the assay would find commercial use, namely, high- and low-protein-content colostrum powders, tablets containing colostrum powder, infant formula containing colostrum powder, and some IgG-containing dairy powders, i.e., milk protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, and skim milk powder. Each laboratory provided data for the study and assayed blind duplicates of seven materials. Due to gross outliers in the majority of results from one laboratory, the data from eight laboratories were used for the statistical analysis. The repeatability RSD (RSDr) values ranged from 3.2 to 7.3%, and the reproducibility RSDR values from 13.0 to 22.6%.

Preparation of a high-immunoglobulin product from bovine colostrum

An effective colostrum management programme is the most important factor in determining the health and survival of the neonatal calf. Commercially available colostrum replacers (CR) and colostrum supplements (CS) are an alternative to colostrum on farms that do not have an adequate, high-quality colostrum supply, or those farms that want to prevent transmission of disease from cow to calf. The present study aimed to obtain a high immunoglobulin (Ig), dried bovine colostrum product that could be used as a CR or CS for dairy calves. Dried whey was made from 6 batches of colostrum and an additional 6 batches were used to produce dried whey and curds. Dried whey had higher IgG concentration (P<0.05) and lactose (P<0.05), and less fat (P<0.05) compared to curds or the original colostrum. There was a strong linear relationship between initial colostrum IgG concentration and whey (R2=0.86) with approximately 0.45 of the initial colostral IgG residing in curd. The high IgG and the composition of colostrum whey powder suggests it could be an effective CS product for use with dairy calves. The high fat and IgG content of the curd by-product indicate that it might be a potential weaning supplement in piglets or even a product for human consumption.

The concentrations of some hormones and growth factors in bovine and human colostrums: Short communication

This study compared different levels of certain hormones and growth factors between bovine and human colostrums. Colostrums were collected from seven Holstein cows and seven healthy humans. Prolactin, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) had higher levels in human colostrums over the 3 days. A higher level of platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) was found in bovine colostrums on day three; estradiol had higher levels on day three in both human and bovine colostrums. To minimise the differences of active components’ concentrations between these two types of colostrums, prolactin, EGF and NGF should be considered for addition into bovine colostrum products.

Determination of Soluble Immunoglobulin G in Bovine Colostrum Products by Protein G Affinity Chromatography–Turbidity Correction and Method Validation

Immunoglobulin-containing food products and nutraceuticals such as bovine colostrum are of interest to consumers as they may provide health benefits. Commercial scale colostrum products are valued for their immunoglobulin G (IgG) content and therefore require accurate analysis. One of the most commonly used methods for determining total soluble IgG in colostrum products is based on affinity chromatography using a Protein G column and UV detection. This paper documents improvements to the accuracy of the Protein G analysis of IgG in colostrum products, especially those containing aggregated forms of IgG. Capillary electrophoresis-sodium dodecyl sulfate (CE-SDS) analysis confirmed that aggregated IgG measured by Protein G does not contain significant amounts of casein or other milk proteins. Size exclusion chromatography identified the content of soluble IgG as mainly monomeric IgG and aggregated material MW > 450 kDa with small amounts of dimer and trimer. The turbidity of the eluting IgG, mainly associated with aggregated IgG, had a significant effect on the quantitative results. Practical techniques were developed to correct affinity LC data for turbidity on an accurate, consistent, and efficient basis. The method was validated in two laboratories using a variety of colostrum powders. Precision for IgG was 2-3% (RSD(r)) and 3-12% (RSD(R)). Recovery was 100.2 ± 2.4% (mean ± RSD, n = 10). Greater amounts of aggregated IgG were solubilized by a higher solution:sample ratio and extended times of mixing or sonication, especially for freeze-dried material. It is concluded that the method without acid precipitation and with turbidity correction provides accurate, precise, and robust data for total soluble IgG and is suitable for product specification and quality control of colostrum products.

Bovine Colostrum Supplementation and Exercise Performance

Bovine colostrum (BC) is rich in immune, growth and antimicrobial factors, which promote tissue growth and the development of the digestive tract and immune function in neonatal calves. Although the value of BC to human adults is not well understood, supplementation with BC is becoming increasingly popular in trained athletes to promote exercise performance. The combined presence of insulin-like growth factors (IGF), transforming growth factors, immunoglobulins, cytokines, lactoferrin and lysozyme, in addition to hormones such as growth hormone, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone and glucocorticoids, would suggest that BC might improve immune function, gastrointestinal integrity and the neuroendocrine system, parameters that may be compromised as a result of intensive training. A review of studies investigating the influence of BC supplementation on exercise performance suggests that BC supplementation is most effective during periods of high-intensity training and recovery from high-intensity training, possibly as a result of increased plasma IGF-1, improved intramuscular buffering capacity, increases in lean body mass and increases in salivary IgA. However, there are contradicting data for most parameters that have been considered to date, suggesting that small improvements across a range of parameters might contribute to improved performance and recovery, although this cannot be concluded with certainty because the various doses and length of supplementation with BC in different studies prevent direct comparison of results. Future research on the influence of BC on sports performance will only be of value if the dose and length of supplementation of a well-defined BC product is standardized across studies, and the bioavailability of the active constituents in BC is determined.