Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXV, Issue 1
Written by Lora MONDESHKA, Tsvetelina DIMITROVA, Nikolay MARKOV, Miroslav HRISTOV, Svetoslava STOYCHEVA, Tsvetomira BANCHEVA
Colostrum is the first milk that a newborn receives immediately after birth. Its quality and timely intake are the main factors influencing the survival chances of the newborn. The composition of goat colostrum depends on the breed, age, diet and health of the animal. Immunoglobulins from the blood of the mother goat do not cross the placental barrier during pregnancy, at birth the kid does not have antibodies against the surrounding infectious agents. These immunoglobulins are concentrated in the colostrum and provide the passive immunity that the kid acquires. Goat colostrum has been shown to contain twice as much immunoglobulin G, as cattle colostrum. The specific biological properties of colostrum make it a valuable material for the development of food supplements. In recent years, these supplements have become increasingly popular on the world market as a powerful immunostimulant. The objective of the present review is to give a brief overview of the physicochemical and immunological properties of goat colostrum as well as the differences in the different breeds.
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