TRANSEC – Transitional milk drying as a tool to improve intestinal health of calves

Transitional milk, mainly from the second and third milking, contains significant amounts of immune defence and growth factors, which are crucial for the maturation and health of newborns.

PROMIC, together with AFRIGI and SEMEGA, and with the participation of IRTA as a technology centre, is working on the TRANSEC operational group project, which will study the use, through drying, of transition milk that is not used on dairy farms. The aim is to obtain a product that can be easily distributed and administered to animals in critical situations, which could be a solution to improve the health of these animals, as well as a strategy to increase the useful life of this milk.

Once the Transitional Milk has been collected, it will be dried using two different methods and the presence and activity of the biological factors in the milk will be compared with the nutritional and microbiological quality.

This will allow us to conclude which is the optimal drying method and its viability for obtaining a nutriceutical supplement in newborn calves.

Action of the Strategic Plan of the PAC 2023-2027 co-funded by: