Changes

It is often useful for the farmer to store colostrum in the freezer for use when needed. Anecdotally, storage has been reported as satisfactory for up to 12 months. However, repeat freeze thawing should be minimized as this can have adverse effects on colostrum quality. Microwaving the colostrum as part of the thaw is not recommended due to protein denaturing. Thawing should therefore be done slowly by putting the bottles into warm water.

It is often useful for the farmer to store colostrum in the freezer for use when needed. Anecdotally, storage has been reported as satisfactory for up to 12 months. However, repeat freeze thawing should be minimized as this can have adverse effects on colostrum quality. Microwaving the colostrum as part of the thaw is not recommended due to protein denaturing. Thawing should therefore be done slowly by putting the bottles into warm water.

On harvesting fresh colostrum, the colostrum should not be maintained at room temperature for prolonged periods due to bacterial growth occurring which may harbour infectious agents. Bacterial contamination can be minimized by good udder preparation prior to milking and using clean equipment. Freezing should be performed as soon as possible after collection. If the colostrum is not going to be frozen but kept for later use, it should be refrigerated and used within a few days.

On harvesting [[File:Fresh colostrum in bucket|fresh colostrum]] [[File:Fresh colostrum in bucket.jpg|right|thumb|250px]], the colostrum should not be maintained at room temperature for prolonged periods due to bacterial growth occurring which may harbour infectious agents. Bacterial contamination can be minimized by good udder preparation prior to milking and using clean equipment. Freezing should be performed as soon as possible after collection. If the colostrum is not going to be frozen but kept for later use, it should be refrigerated and used within a few days.

It is important to select the dam carefully when deciding which colostrum to store. The cow should be healthy and in good condition. It is advisable to check the colostrum with a colostrometer before storage to try and ensure adequate quality. On herds with a history of Johnes disease, it may be worth testing the cow for infection, although due to the poor sensitivity of the test in clinically normal animals this is not a guarantee of uninfected colostrum.

It is important to select the dam carefully when deciding which colostrum to store. The cow should be healthy and in good condition. It is advisable to check the colostrum with a colostrometer before storage to try and ensure adequate quality. On herds with a history of Johnes disease, it may be worth testing the cow for infection, although due to the poor sensitivity of the test in clinically normal animals this is not a guarantee of uninfected colostrum.