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Cluj Vet J 2024, 29, 2 http://clujveterinaryjournal.ro 

Article 

The Impact of Parity on Dairy Cows Colostrum Quality  
 

Dragoș Adrian Popescu 1*, Florin Petrișor Posastiuc 1, 2, , Nicolae Tiberiu Constantin 1, 3, Crina Raluca Andrei 1,3, 
Florina Marian4 and Mario Darius Codreanu 1    

1 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 
Bucharest, Romania  

2 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium  
3  Research and Development Institute for Bovine Balotești, Balotești, Romania  
4  University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Romania 
* Correspondence: dragosadrian11@yahoomail.com. 

 
 

Abstract: One of the main indicators of colostrum quality is represented by its immunoglobulin content, protein molecules 
responsible for the calf’s passive immunity. The objective of this study was to investigate the quality of colostrum according to the 
concentration of total proteins and ℽ-globulins, as well as the influence that the number of parturitions has on its quality. Twenty 
colostrum samples, collected from primiparous (n =10) and multiparous cows (n = 10), from two different dairy cow breeds, were 
analyzed by the ultraviolet spectrophotometric method. The results of the study showed an increase in colostrum quality depending 
on the number of parturitions only in cows of the Romanian Black-Spotted breed, , ℽ-globulins concentration increasing from an 
average of 63,72 g/l in the case of primiparous cows to 116,32 g/l in multiparous cows. In the case of Holstein cows, colostrum quality 
was not influenced significant by parity. This study underlines the need to expand research on the influence of individual factors on 
colostrum quality.  

Keywords: colostrum; immunoglobulins; parity. 
 

  

1. Introduction 

The colostrum is the secretion of the cow mammary gland during the first days 
following calving. [1]. It is composed of a range of compounds that are very important to 
the health and productivity life on calves, including nutritional elements, antimicrobial 
and growth factors, cytokines, and immunoglobulins [2]. Colostrum composition and 
quality exhibit significant variability due to multiple factors, including parity, 
individuality, the duration of the dry period in cows, heat stress [3], gestational nutrition 
during pregnancy, and the subsequent metabolic and hormonal profiles [4-5], as well as 
the overall puerperium and its potential complications [6]. The quality of colostrum is 
characterized by adequate concentration of immunoglobulins, which is essential for the 
newborn and his immunity, as ruminants are agammaglobulinemic at birth due to the 
synepitheliochorial placenta [6]. The latter prevents the passage of immunoglobulins, 
making them vulnerable to infectious disease [7]. Muller and Ellinger [8] concluded that 
parity determined a significant difference in colostrum IgG content between heifers’ 
offspring and cows’progenies in their third or later parities, emphasizing the importance 

Received: 29.04.2024 

Accepted: 06.06.2024 

Published: 24.06.2024 

DOI: 10.52331/tpakyn03 

 

 

 

Copyright: © 2024 by the authors. 

Submitted for possible open access 

publication under the terms and 

conditions of the Creative Commons 

Attribution (CC BY) license 

(http://creativecommons.org/licenses

/by/4.0/). 



Cluj Vet J 2024, 29, 2 10 of 43 
 

of parity in this regard. To estimate the quality of a colostrum, its IgG content is assessed, researchers suggest 
that it is qualitative when the content of these immunoglobulins is at least 50g/l [9]. Immunoglobulin values 
below 50g/l denote an inadequate colostrum in terms of quality and predispose the calf to failure of passive 
transfer (FPT) [10]. Acquiring passive immunity, the calf depends, in addition to ingesting colostrum in sufficient 
quantity and quality, on the absorption of immunoglobulins along the intestinal wall before stopping intestinal 
transport which can vary between 24 to 36 hours after birth [11]. FPT is defined by a serum IgG concentration of 
<10 mg/ml in neonatal calves aged 24 to 48 h [12-13]. However, thresholds, including the aforementioned value, 
are highly reliant on the selected technique, with several indirect or direct methods being available for FPT 
assessment [14-15]. Due to its association with significant economic losses [13], alternative treatments for FPT 
have been proposed, such as plasma transfusions [16]. However, this approach may present challenges, 
particularly in finding suitable donors, as intensive testing for highly prevalent pathogens like bovine 
herpesvirus becomes compulsory [17]. 

 
2. Materials and Methods 

2.1. Experimental group 
A total of 20 dairy cows were involved in this study, sourced from farms in Ilfov County, situated in the southeast 
region of Romania. To ensure the validity of the findings, the cows were divided into experimental groups. These 
groups consisted of 10 Holstein breed cows and 10 Romanian Black-Spotted cows, with an equal distribution of 
each breed, primiparous (n=10) and multiparous (n=10) cows. All cows were scheduled to calve in February 2023. 
The number of lactations in multiparous females varied between 2 and 4 lactations, and the average milk 
production for the last lactation was 9867 l for the Holstein cows from the farm 1 and 4337 l for the Romanian 
Black-Spotted breed, housed at the farm  2. A week before calving, the cows are moved to the maternity area 
where they are kept until the time of complete recovery. After calving, the calves are separated from the cows 
immediately after consuming the colostrum.  

2.2. Clinical examination  
The cows included in the study underwent a brief clinical assessment, during which vital signs were 

measured, the condition of the mucous membranes was evaluated, and the mammary gland was examined. 
Thermometric readings revealed body temperatures within physiological ranges, with slightly elevated heart 
and respiratory rates, which is typical for the final stages of gestation. The mucous membranes exhibited a 
species-specific color indicative of good health. Upon examination of the mammary gland, no pathological 
alterations were observed, and there was no tenderness upon palpation, nor were there any temperature 
irregularities. 

2.3. Colostrum sample collection 
For the present descriptive study, colostrum samples of 20 cows from two different cattle breeds were 

collected in sterile vials by farmers in two farms in Ilfov, Romania. Approximately 50 ml of colostrum samples 
were collected from the first milking after parturition (3,9±2,7h after parturition; range from 0 to 10 h) and 
immediately frozen at -20°C until analysis.  

2.4. Laboratory Determination of Colostrum Quality  
The amount of total proteins, especially immunoglobulins in colostrum is relevant for its quality. Thus, 

their quantification offers us the possibility of qualitative evaluation of the milk secretion that plays a role in the 
transmission of passive immunity [18]. The colostrum quality measurement technique used in this study was 
ultraviolet spectroscopy, a rapid and accurate laboratory-based method [19]. 



Cluj Vet J 2024, 29, 2 11 of 43 
 

The initial stage in processing the collected samples involved a gradual thawing process, allowing them 
to thaw slowly at room temperature to prevent protein denaturation. From each thawed sample, a quantity of 
10 ml was transferred into Falcon tubes, after which the samples were centrifuged at 3500x g for 5 min to remove 
the fat layer and isolate whey from the casein pellet. After centrifugation, 0,5 ml of the whey portion was 
aliquoted from the lower third of the tube and placed in Eppendorf tubes. Subsequently, whey samples were 
diluted 1:10 with 0,9 % NaCl solution and incubated at 47°C for 10 minutes. 

 For quantitative determination of Total Protein (TP), 20 μl of each sample was mixed with a Cu 2+ 
ions-reagent  in order to form a chelate with peptide bonds of protein. Subsequently, the sample was incubated 
for 20 min at 37°C. The quantitative assessment was acquired through analyzing color intensity, a process 
conducted using a spectrophotometer (Spectrophotometer UV/Vis DLAB SP-UV1000) at a wavelength of 540 
nm. To measure the immunoglobulin content of colostrum, a quantity of 20 μl of the sample was mixed with 
18,5% Na2SO4  solution reagent. The sample was incubated for 15 minutes at a temperature of 37°C. The 
intensity of the turbidity formed was measured at a wavelength of 450 nm. 

3. Results and discussion 

    3.1. Quality of colostrum samples 

The colostral concentration of immunoglobulin was adequate (≥50 g/l) in 90% of samples from 
primiparous cows. Only one cattle had colostrum of suboptimal quality (< 50 g/l), with a concentration of 48,90 
g/l immunoglobulin. In the case of cows with multiple parities, the colostrum quality was of high quality, with 
ℽ-globulin concentration varying between 95,90-129,80 g/l, for 90% of calves. Both Holstein and Romanian Black-
Spotted, had immunoglobulin concentration above 100g/l, indicating superior colostrum quality. 

      3.2. ℽ-globulin concentration variability in relation to parity 

In this study, the Holstein breed did not show an increase in colostrum TP or immunoglobulins with the 
increase in the number of parturitions. Moreover, testing of colostrum samples from multiparous cows indicated 
lower immunoglobulin concentrations than in first-calving cows, but the number of total proteins was higher 
compared to primiparous cows (Table 1). Parity, however, seems to cause an increase in the amount of 
immunoglobulins within the Romanian Black-Spotted. When determining the concentration of colostrum ℽ-
globulins and TP in these subjects, the values of samples from primiparous cows indicated a lower quality 
colostrum compared to that collected from multiparous cows. Both the number of immunoglobulins and that of 
total protein increased with the number of parturitions (Table 2).  

Table 1. Values of total protein and ℽ-globulin (g/l) in colostrum samples collected from primiparous and 
multiparous cows of the Holstein breed. 

 

 PRIMIPAROUS COWS MULTIPAROUS COWS 

 Total protein ℽ-globulin Total protein ℽ-globulin 

1 602.6 89.10 420 95.9 

2 659 97.10 848 100.2 

3 502 101.4 747 104.1 



Cluj Vet J 2024, 29, 2 12 of 43 
 

4 1040 139.9 1576 104.6 

5 937 152.5 1040 107.1 

AVR 748.12 116 926.2 102.38 

SEM 205.21 25.28 382 3.92 

AVR=Average 
SEM=Standard Error of the Mean 

 

Table 2. Values on total protein and ℽ-globulin (g/l) in colostrum samples collected from primiparous and 
multiparous cows of the Romanian Black-Spotted breed. 

 

 PRIMIPAROUS COWS MULTIPAROUS COWS 

 Total protein ℽ-globulin Total protein ℽ-globulin 

1 310 48.9 1224 109.9 

2 350 60.2 1080 108.9 

3 366 67.9 1234 112.9 

4 552 63.7 1370 120.1 

5 724 77.9 1445 129.8 

AVR 460.4 63.72 1270.6 116.32 

SEM 155.94 9.49 126.59 7.97 

 
 The average concentration of immunoglobulins in colostrum from primiparous cows of 

the Holstein breed was 116±25,28 g/l, higher than in the case of multiparous cows of this breed, 
where the immunoglobulin average was 102,38±3,92 g/l (Figure 1). On the other hand, in cows of 
the Romanian Black-Spotted, the quality of colostrum increased as they had more calvings. The 
primiparous recorded an average of colostrum immunoglobulins of 62,32±9,28 g/l, an amount 
that was almost double in the milk samples from multiparous, the average concentration in these 
females being 116,32±7,97 g/l (Figure 2). 

 



Cluj Vet J 2024, 29, 2 13 of 43 
 

   

Figure 1 and 2. Graphical representation of the Holstein (1) and Romanian Black-Spotted breed (2)   
concentration of immunoglobulins (g/l). 

 
Under the influences of breed, differences were observed in terms of colostrum quality. 

Primiparous Holstein cows exhibited an average concentration of γ-globulins in the investigated samples 
of 116±25.28 g/l, significantly higher than that of primiparous cows from the Romanian Black-Spotted who 
had an average IgG concentration of 62.32±9.28 g/l at first parturition. 

In the case of cows from the Romanian Black-Spotted breed, the quality of colostrum from 
multiparous cows has improved, both in relation to primiparous cows from this breed, and compared to 
cows in their second or third parturition from the Holstein breed, recording average values of 116.32±7.97 
g/l immunoglobulins (Figure 3). 
 

 
Figure 3. Graphical representation on immunoglobulins values depending on breed and parity 

 
Most studies show that parity has a major impact on the percentage of immunoglobulins in colostrum, 

research by Muller and Ellinger supports the fact that multiparous cows produce colostrum with a higher 
number of immunoglobulins than first-calving cows [8] Gulliksen et. al. also confirm that there is a significant 
difference in colostrum quality between primiparous and multiparous cows [3]. In this study, parity had an 
influence on colostrum quality only in the farm with cows of the Romanian Black-Spotted breed, the value of ℽ-



Cluj Vet J 2024, 29, 2 14 of 43 
 

globulins doubling in multiparous cows. Regarding the Holstein cows studied, the number of parturitions did 
not affect the improvement of colostrum, the average concentration of immunoglobulins being lower than in the 
case of primiparous cows of this breed.  

Previous studies support the fact that with the increase in the number of parturitions, the quality of the 
colostrum is also improved. This aspect may suggest the possibility that this increase in the number of 
immunoglobulins in ruminant colostrum is due to the repeated exposure of these animals to various pathogens, 
ultimately leading to the formation of antibodies that are transmitted to the mammary gland and from there to 
the milk secretion [20]. The lower amount of ℽ-globulins in the colostrum of primiparous cows may be due to 
the insufficient development of the mammary gland. Older research concludes that the reduced development of 
the mammary gland hinders the ability of antibodies to pass through, so their milk secretion is poorer in 
immunoglobulins [21]. 

4. Conclusions 

The main objective of this study was to investigate the influence of parity on colostrum quality. In order to 
achieve this objective, 20 colostrum samples were taken immediately after calving, from two breeds of dairy 
cows, both primiparous and multiparous. The quality of colostrum in relation to parity improved significantly 
in cows from the Romanian Black-Spotted breed, with the amount of ℽ-globulin quantified from samples from 
multiparous cows reaching double values compared to females at their first parturition. As for the Holstein breed, 
the increase in the number of parturitions had no effect on the number of ℽ-globulins. However, the colostrum 
quality was adequate, in a concentration above 50g/l in both breeds of dairy cows, regardless of the number of 
parturitions. Only one female showed concentration of immunoglobulins below the allowed limits.  

In conclusion, this study demonstrates the role of parity in improving colostrum quality in cows from the 
Romanian Black-Spotted breed. Thus, our study underlines the need to expand research on the influence of 
individual factors on colostrum quality. 
 

 

Author Contributions: writing—original draft preparation, D.P., F.P.P., N.T.C, C.R.A.; writing—review and editing, 

D.P., F.P.P., N.T.C, F.M..; supervision, M.D.C.; All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the 

manuscript”. 

Funding: This research received no external funding 

Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable 

Data Availability Statement: All the relevant data is available in the manuscript. 

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