colostrum (redirected from colostrum replacements)

colostrum /co·los·trum/ (kol-os´trum) the thin, yellow, milky fluid secreted by the mammary gland a few days before or after parturition.

---

co·los·trum (k-lstrm)

n.

The first milk secreted at the time of parturition, differing from the milk secreted later by containing more lactalbumin and lactoprotein, and also being rich in antibodies that confer passive immunity to the newborn. Also called foremilk.

---

co·lostral (-trl) adj.

---

colostrum

[kəlos′trəm]

Etymology: L, first milk after birth

the fluid secreted by the breast during pregnancy and the first days after the delivery before lactation begins. It consists of immunologically active substances (maternal antibodies) and white blood cells, water, protein, fat, minerals, vitamins, and carbohydrate in a thin, yellow serous fluid. Compare breast milk.

---

colostrum (k·läˑ·strm),

n 1. bovine prelactation secretion that contains antibodies and other immune system–activating substances. Claimed to treat infections, autoimmune diseases, lyme disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. No known precautions, although the possibility of prior contamination exists in bovine products.
2. human mammary secretion that contains living immune cells, immune factors, and antibodies. Produced in the first few days of lactation.

---

colostrum

the thick, yellow secretion present in the mammary gland in increasing amounts for several days or weeks, depending on the species, before and for about a week after parturition. It is very rich in maternal antibodies and is essential in providing passive immunity to the neonate. An adequate amount of colostrum must be ingested during the first few hours after birth while the intestinal epithelium is still permeable to the large molecules of the immunoglobulins.

Immunoglobulin levels in colostrum vary between species and are much higher than those found later in the milk. The predominant immunoglobulin in colostrum is IgG. Called also beestings.

---

colostrum-induced anemia

occurs in lambs fed cow colostrum; thought to be an immune-mediated hemolytic anemia.

colostrum replacements

commercially available products containing immunoglobulins derived from the processing of serum collected at cattle slaughter or second-milking colostrum purchased from dairies. The majority have sub-optimal concentrations of immunoglobulin to replace natural colostrum. Some are labeled as colostrum supplements but marketed as colostrum replacements.

synthetic colostrum

although referred to as colostrum, formulas can only attempt to duplicate milk of a particular species since they are lacking in immunoglobulins. See milk replacer.

colostrum vacuoles

eosinophilic colostrum present in vacuoles in cytoplasm of intestinal epithelial cells in newborn animals.

---

colostrum

Obstetrics A sticky yellow-white fluid secreted by the breasts from late pregnancy to several days after birth, but before breast milk is produced. See Breast milk.