Every mammal that is born receives colostrum or should at least receive colostrum. It contains the highest concentrations of antibodies, growth factors, antimicrobial substances, prebiotics, and many other components that contribute to the animal's immunity and a healthy life.
Antibodies and antimicrobial substances are essential for defending against harmful bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Prebiotics serve as "food" for the beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Together with the growth factors, they support the development of the gut. The gut is one of the most important organs in an animal's body. A healthy gut determines the animal's health during growth and later life.
The energy for the young animal in the first hours comes from the carbohydrates (read: sugars) present in the colostrum. Sugars in colostrum are quickly available for conversion into energy, expressed as ATP (adenosine triphosphate). From the blood, sugars enter the cells and are converted in two steps into substances that the mitochondria can further transform into ATP, the energy usable by the body. This is a rapid process of converting sugars into usable energy.
Fats in colostrum substitutes, which serve as an energy source, must first be converted into fatty acids in the liver. The free fatty acids then need to be absorbed into the cells via the blood. Within the cells, the fatty acids must undergo several steps to be converted into usable substances that the mitochondria can utilize for ATP production. This process takes longer than the conversion of sugars into energy.
Excessively added fat could be burdensome if administered immediately after birth. After all, carbohydrates (read: sugars) are intended as the energy source in colostrum substitutes because they are immediately available for energy production.
CapraCol® is one of the few available colostrum substitutes produced from first-milk colostrum. Additional prebiotics have been added to stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria and support the development of a healthy gut.
Dr. Cor Arts
Medical Biologist
