March 12, 2009
Handling and Storing Colostrums
When cows dont produce an adequate amount of colostrums, it may be necessary to
supplement with colostrums from another source. For optimum results, colostrums
should be collected from cows within 24 hours of calving and fed fresh.
Colostrums can also be collected at calving, frozen and used at a later date. To
make storage and thawing easier, store colostrums in Ziploc bags or Serving
Savers. The bag or containers will store flat in the freezer and you can use a
size which makes thawing individual servings of colostrums easier. You can also
freeze colostrums in 12 to 16 oz plastic pop bottles. Whichever method of
storage you choose, remember that colostrums should not be thawed and refrozen.
Since the antibodies and immunoglobulins in colostrums are protein, correct
thawing is important to prevent the proteins in the immunoglobulins from being
damaged. Colostrums should be thawed slowly, either in a microwave or in warm
water. Here are two suggested methods:
1) Place frozen colostrums and its container in warm water (110 degrees F) and
stir every five minutes. Warm colostrums to 104 to 110 degrees F.
2) Thaw colostrums in a microwave oven. Set the oven at no more than 60 percent
power for gentle thawing. Many microwaves do not heat material evenly, so it is
important to agitate or stir the colostrums frequently to assure even thawing
and warming. Warm the colostrums to 104 degrees F.
