Immunoglobulins, growth factors and growth hormone in bovine colostrum and the effects of processing

In colostrum collected 0-80 h postpartum the contents of immunoglobulins (Igs), transforming growth factor beta-2 (TGF-beta2), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and growth hormone (GH) were analysed. Colostrum initially contained 90 mg mL(-1) IgG1, 2.8 mg mL(-1) IgG2, 1.6 mg mL(-1) IgA, 4.5 mg mL(-1) IgM, and these concentrations declined by 92%, 87%, 93% and 84%, respectively, in the samples collected later. Of the growth factors, colostrum initially contained 289-310 ng mL(-1) TGF-beta2 and the concentration diminished to 66 ng mL(-1). The content of IGF-1 and GH postpartum decreased from 870 to 150 ng mL(-1), and from 0.17 to < 0.03 ng mL(-1), respectively. Heat treatment and freeze-drying of colostral whey decreased the content of Igs to 75%, while the contents of IGF-1 and TGF-beta2 were unaffected. A similar processing, including filtration steps reduced also the IGF-1 and TGF-beta2 by 25%. IgM seems to be the most sensitive of the Igs to processing. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.