The elemental force of nature

Colostrum, also called foremilk or first milk, is the first substance produced by the mother after pregnancy in humans and mammals.

Incidentally, the first milk of cows (bovine colostrum) is also known as beestings. Often, however, the terms Pfaff, Pfaffenmilch, Priestermilch and Kuhpriester are also used in southwestern Germany.

Since newborn calves, unlike humans, do not receive passive immunity via the placenta, the individual immune components of colostrum are essential for their survival.

And thanks to its complex natural composition and ideal bioavailability, the first milk already provides over 85% of the most important colostrum ingredients in the first few hours to build up a functional immune system in the newborn calf.

These include essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes, natural growth factors and especially the bioactive immune protection substances.

Supplementation with bovine colostrum

Supplementation with bovine colostrum has a long tradition. As early as the 18th century, the German physician Hufeland recognized the influence of first milk on the growth and health of calves and used BC on animals and patients.

During the American Civil War (1861-1865), colostrum was used to treat wounded soldiers and was used as an antibacterial agent until the discovery of the first antibiotic.

The idea of using BC for prophylaxis and therapy in humans and domestic animals was revived in 1955. In particular, the focus was on the transfer of passive immunity.

However, it was not until the 1980s that new separation techniques, were used to effectively enrich immunoglobulins and other protein fractions.

Important information:

Today, armacura colostrum intended for human consumption is basically only obtained from milking surpluses of cows from controlled herds in the first hours after calving, as it has the highest concentrations of immune substances and growth factors during this period.