colostrum

American  

[kuh-los-truhm] / kəˈlɒs trəm /

noun

1. a yellowish liquid, especially rich in immune factors, secreted by the mammary gland of female mammals a few days before and after the birth of their young.

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colostrum British  

/ kəˈlɒstrəm /

noun

1. the thin milky secretion from the nipples that precedes and follows true lactation. It consists largely of serum and white blood cells

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Other Word Forms

• colostral
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of colostrum

First recorded in 1570–80, colostrum is from the Latin word colostrum, colustrum “beestings,” colloquial for “first milk”

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

colostrum

The so-called back-to-cow movement includes products like bovine colostrum, the protein-rich milk cows produce soon after giving birth.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2025

That milk, called the colostrum, doesn’t go to consumers.

From Slate ● Dec. 4, 2024

Food and Drug Administration adds that it’s unclear whether the H5N1 viruses can be transmitted through consuming raw colostrum from infected cows.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2024

Rajnarayanan said it’s also important to emphasize that it’s not a definitive conclusion that the cats from the CDC report died from drinking raw colostrum.

From Salon ● May 1, 2024

A few drops of a turbid fluid, colostrum, may be pressed from the nipple as early as the third month.

From Mother's Remedies Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remedies from Mothers of the United States and Canada by Thomas Jefferson Ritter

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