FAQ

Colostrum is the pre-milk produced by mammals after giving birth. Bovine colostrum is specifically from bovines, including cows. This early life nutrition is very yellow in color, colostrum is also known as “liquid gold” due to high beta-carotene content. Colostrum is thicker than regular milk and packed with vitamins, minerals, and bioactive nutrients that help develop a healthy immune system and gastrointestinal tract (the gut).

Like human babies, calves are not born with a fully developed immune system, so it’s vital that they get the colostrum they need to survive and thrive. Growth factors, immunoglobulins, bioactive proteins (such as proline-rich polypeptides), bovine milk oligosaccharides, antibodies, and more, are found to be especially rich in bovine colostrum.

Colostrum is the milk produced within the first 24-72 hours after mammalian birth. It provides all of the essential nutrients and antibodies newborn mammals need in order to develop a healthy immune system and gut. It is very thick and yellow, hence its nickname “liquid gold.”

Then, transitional milk takes over, which is the transition between colostrum and what we know as the “whole milk” that cows produce. This is still slightly yellowish in color, but starts to become more white.

Finally, the mature bovine milk supply is established. Cow’s milk is high-volume, white in color, and provides all the nutrients we know and love such as vitamin d, calcium, and protein.

One of the main differences is that bovine colostrum actually contains less lactose than human colostrum. Did you know that human colostrum actually contains the highest amount of lactose for any species?!

When it comes to immunoglobulins, human colostrum consists primarily immunoglobulin A (IgA). Bovine colostrum contains a multitude of immunoglobulins including IgA, IgG, IgE, IgD and many more.

Bovine colostrum also contains 40 times more antibodies than human colostrum!

Gut issues are often found as the root cause for many health frustrations including bloating, skin issues, disrupted sleep cycles, sugar cravings, slowing metabolism and more. Colostrum is a gut superfood that helps address these problems and bring the body back into balance by providing a protective barrier throughout the body that strengthens the immune system and optimizes gut health.

Not only is colostrum beneficial for enhancing internal wellness, it has also been found to have impressive regenerative effects due to the high amount of growth factors present. Growth factors are known to promote the growth of new cells while repairing and regenerating others. That means improved skin radiance and elasticity — keeping you feeling AND looking young!

Absolutely! Whether or not your kids consumed breast milk as infants, colostrum can work wonders for their immune system and overall wellness. However, it is recommended for children 1 year and older; consult your health care provider if your child is younger than 12 months old. Also, children with severe lactose intolerance or dairy allergies should not take a colostrum supplement.

We source only from US dairy farms who also have a “calf-first promise. ”That means the calves get every drop of colostrum they need before any of it is collected for supplementation purposes.

Yes. Colostrum powder is a dairy product so we don’t recommend anyone with milk allergies or severe lactose intolerance to use WonderCow Colostrum Powder. However, the total serving size of WonderCow colostrum is just 1-2 grams, and the amount of lactose in each serving is 11% or less. Many people, even those who are sensitive to lactose, find that they do well with colostrum powder (especially when paired with a lactose enzyme supplement).

We’re so glad you asked! You can find more information here.

The FDA does not directly approve dietary supplements, but they do monitor them.  WonderCow Colostrum Powder is a whole-food supplement that does not contain any drug that would go through the FDA approval process. So while WonderCow Colostrum powder is not FDA-approved, it is GMP certified (Good Manufacturing Practice) and third-party certified to maintain the highest quality industry standards. The FDA monitors supplements in the following ways:

1. The FDA periodically inspects dietary supplement manufacturing facilities to verify that companies are meeting specific requirements.
2. The FDA reviews product labels and websites to ensure functional claims are accurate.
3. The FDA monitors products to ensure safety.

While there are no known harmful interactions between colostrum and other supplements or medications, it’s always a good idea to speak with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns.

WonderCow colostrum can be mixed into any liquid — just not hot liquids (temperatures above 140 F will start to denature bioactive nutrients, which diminishes the overall potency of colostrum). Mix your recommended serving size into your favorite beverage, smoothie, or water.

The recommended daily amount for WonderCow Colostrum Powder varies based on age. The suggested use is 1 scoop for children and 2 scoops for adults. You may also add an extra scoop or two if needed for recovery!

While there have not been any known risks during pregnancy or breastfeeding, it’s always advised to check with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement at these times. And congratulations on the growing baby, by the way! 

At the moment, WonderCow solely ships products in the USA. Stay tuned though — we are hoping to reach international consumers soon! 

Being born and raised as dairy farmers, it’s important to us to share the reality of the organic market. The commercial supply of certified organic products isverysmall. In fact, currently, there is not a U.S. supplier who can meet the demands of the customer market.

For a product to be promoted as organic in the United States, it is REQUIRED to be Certified Organic within the U.S. National Organic Program (NOP). A product must go through inspection by a trained and licensed third party, at minimum annually, and meet the NOP requirements. Contributing parties including feed suppliers, dairy farms, colostrum manufacturers, and distributors are also audited to prove that all inputs are certified organic, prior to the final product being submitted for certification.

Unfortunately, there are many products marketing organic claims without being certified. If a company is not certified organic, but claims organic, they are violating U.S. law.

At WonderCow, we prioritize transparency and honesty in all that we do. Know that product purity and quality is top of our priorities. While we don’t claim organic, wedocommit to bringing you top quality colostrum at affordable prices.

WonderCow Colostrum is 100% free of antibiotics, however it is not certified organic. Organic certification states that you may never give a cow an antibiotic. Which means organic farms cannot use one of the best inventions in the last century (that continues to save millions of lives, both people and pets, around the world) to help their cows overcome an infection. We treat our cows like they are our pets, and we care deeply for them. When they get sick, they are sent to a cow hospital, supervised by our veterinarian, where they get the help they need. We then wait until their colostrum is free from antibiotics, with no chance of antibiotic residue, before returning to the herd. Then the colostrum is tested multiple times before it is collected for consumers to ensure there are no antibiotics present. WonderCow’s Colostrum products are not organic, butare 100% guaranteedto be free of antibiotics.

First let’s define what “grass-fed” means. The term is not regulated across the dairy industry, and some brands use it very loosely.

The term “grass-fed” can mean a little or a lot of grass in the diet, but most consumers assume that it means 100% of food consumed by the cow is grass. Even if cows are 100% grass fed, most cows are still supplemented—whether seasonally or regularly. Make sure you know and trust your source!

Also, the amount of true grass-fed products available on the current market is extremely small. U.S. suppliers actually are not able to meet the current demands of the market. What many customers don’t know is that many companies claim grass-fed, without actually backing it up. The real numbers show that there is not enough grass-fed available to meet current demands.

Which is why we prioritize bringing transparency to the industry 🙂

Would we consider our cows to be grass-fed? Yes & no. Yes, because our cows’ ration consists mostly of grass, alfalfa, and silage. No, because grass is not all they eat. Along with grass, our cows eat other foods with nutritious vitamins and minerals to get the nutrients they need to produce milk and maintain their health. Our cows are closely monitored by professional nutritionists and veterinarians to ensure they consume a well-balanced diet full of essential nutrients. We deeply care for our animals and want to make sure that their every need is met.

A supplement like colostrum may cause your body to go into a natural detox, in which case the body will release toxins that may have been building up. Occasionally while these toxins are released, some users experience a healing incident called ‘Herxheimer reactions’. These reactions are typically mild, and will usually disappear after a couple days of continuing the supplement at the same dosage. Rest easy knowing that your body is getting rid of these toxins. You may even be healing a leaky gut that you weren’t aware of!

Absolutely! The antibodies, growth factors, and other nutrients that are naturally found in colostrum may help your pet’s overall gut health and immune system similarly to how they affect you. Try sprinkling the powder on their dry kibble, mixing into their wet food, or stirring into their water. WonderPet… anyone?

You came to the right place! Our herd members would love to get you answers. Reach out via email to hello@wondercow.com.

WonderCow colostrum is sourced from Grade A Dairy facilities in the United States. All dairy facilities are Certified Humane and USDA regulated and inspected. We love our cows, and we ensure they are taken great care of.

We are based in central California! Home of much farmland, many cows, strong family values, and climate neutrality goals.

At WonderCow, we live by a “Calf-First Promise”. This means that the farmers we partner with only gather colostrum after the newborn calves get what they need. Cows produce much more colostrum than their calves can consume, so the extra colostrum that’s collected is what makes up WonderCow Colostrum supplements.

Cows are milked for about 9-10 months after giving birth, and then are given a few months off to rest.

The diet of a dairy cow consists mostly of fiber (grass, alfalfa, and silage), and then healthy macronutrients (carbs, protein, & fat) and essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). 

Professional nutritionists and veterinarians work together to formulate rations specifically for the cows needs, considering her age, if she’s milking or not milking, and if she’s pregnant or not pregnant, among others. There are different rations for different cows in order to feed them exactly what they need to thrive. 

About 86% of what cows eat cannot be consumed by humans. Livestock: On our plates or eating at our table? A new analysis of the feed/food debate – ScienceDirect

Depending on the region, a dairy cow’s diet will consist of 30-40% byproducts. If the cows did not consume them, these would be hauled off to the landfill and send out emissions into our atmosphere as they decompose. This is known as “upcycling”. As cows eat the extras, they convert it into high quality, nutritious food! This helps keep our landfills empty, minimize emissions in the atmosphere, and helps us recycle what would otherwise be wasted.

Byproducts are leftovers from crops grown for human food. Nutritionists test different byproducts for their nutritional content to determine what types are beneficial for cows. For example, cottonseed is a byproduct of cotton, almond hulls are a byproduct from almonds, ect… All of these nutritional byproducts contain high amounts of nutrients that can only be digested by a ruminant (cow).

It’s helpful to think of soil as a bank account:
1. Crops withdraw nutrients from the soil as they grow.
2. Nutrients need to be deposited back into the soil in order to keep the soil from being depleted.
3. On the process goes.

It’s a neat cycle of the cows and soil working together: The soil grows the fields that feed the cows. Meanwhile, manure from cows is recycled to replenish the soil nutrients to optimize the soil’s health.

To put it all together:

Healthy soils grow healthy plants at higher nutrient levels to feed healthy cows…who can replenish healthy soils. Cows are imperative in keeping soil healthy so we as farmers don’t have to rely on mined minerals—which are finite—and chemicals.

All the water that cows consume is used or reused. Some is turned into milk, some is used by the body for maintenance and health, and the rest flushes out the body. The water flushed out is then captured and reused to water plants and add nutrients to the soil.

On sustainable dairy farms, all of the manure is captured and immediately run through a methane digester system. This system holds the manure for up to 30 days, capturing all of the methane and turning it into electricity and/or renewable natural gas—which can be used to operate the facility, tractors, and vehicles. Once the digester completes its process, the now called “digestate” can then be transferred to fields in order to replenish the soil nutrients. Pretty cool!

Countries across the world are putting policies in place to fight climate change. This has sparked a movement towards sustainability like we’ve never seen before, especially in the dairy industry!

New innovations, technologies, and even feed ingredients are being developed in order to help cows become part of the solution instead of adding to the problem. Methane is being captured and turned into electricity and/or renewable natural gas, that can then provide power for facilities and vehicles. Feed ingredients are being introduced that decrease methane emissions from cows.

The list goes on as we press forward to reach our goals of climate neutrality!