Colostrum is the antibody-rich fluid produced from the mother’s mammary glands during the first Six hours after birth. It contains a number of antibodies and growth factors, which young animals and humans can absorb intact for the first couple of days following birth. Although the ability to absorb colostrum is lost within a couple of days of birth, colostrum appears to still be capable of exerting a local effect on body surfaces such as the intestinal tract when it is eaten, or the skin and mouth when it is applied topically.