Colostrum contains essential antibodies (immunoglobulins) for the health of the newborn piglet; antibodies are produced by the body to kill bacteria and viruses. The piglet is born with very few of the protecting antibodies necessary to thrive and relies strictly on the sow’s colostrum to obtain them in the defence against bacteria and viruses.

Colostrum is a rich source of highly digestible nutrients, which are critical to establishing the newly born piglet and studies indicate that colostrum contains natural growth factors for the normal development of vital life-sustaining organs (eg brain, heart, pancreas, liver and kidneys) and the immature gut.