How Should Colostrum Be Thawed?

The colostrum container should be sealed into a plastic bag and then submerged in very warm water, but NOT boiling. It should thaw slowly - check it frequently. (The second plastic bag is a safety precaution, and will prevent loss of the precious colostrum should its storage container leak during the thawing process!)

**Never MICROWAVE the colostrum - this will DESTROY the antibodies!

If the only available colostrum is accidentally microwaved, it should still be fed to the foal! Recent research has indicated that microwaving colostrum does not necessarily destroy all of the antibodies.

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The National Colostrum Network was founded at the

University of Minnesota-College of Veterinary Medicine.