Quantitative assessment of German Holstein dairy cattle colostrum and impact of thermal treatment on quality of colostrum viscosity and immunoglobulins

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to determine the color, fat, viscosity, IgG concentration, %Brix and refractive index of fresh postpartum colostrum of German Holstein dairy cattle and assess the impact of different thermal treatments on the visual and dynamic viscosity, in association to IgG concentration, of colostrum that can be used for pasteurization process. Results: Of the total 40 fresh postpartum colostrum, the color of colostrum (white-pale yellow to yellow and dark-yellowish), fat (1.4 - 8.2 100 g-1), IgG (4 - 116 mg mL-1), %Brix (8.5 - 35.4%), refractive index (1.3454 - 1.3905 nD), visual (ranging from watery to liquid and thick) and dynamic (4.9 - 219 cp) viscosity, were recorded. Statistical analysis between visual and dynamic viscosity of fresh colostrum showed significant correlation coefficients (rs = 634). Moreover, a significant correlation between viscosity and three IgG concentrations was observed. Heat-treated colostrum showed dynamic viscosity ranged from 25 to 3066 cP, where dynamic viscosity of colostrum before- and after heat-treatment showed no significant correlation. Treated colostrum containing IgG concentration ≤80 mg mL-1 at 60°C/60 min and ≤68 mg mL-1 at 63.5°C/30 min showed no significant change in the viscosity and can successfully be applied for pasteurization of first postpartum colostrum.