Student Case Presentation
Field Validation of a Commercial Pasteurizer System to Heat-Treat Small Volumes of Colostrum
| Date/Time: |
9/11/2025 2:45 pm
|
| Presenter: |
Kenson Boelke |
| Veterinary School: |
MN |
Abstract:
The MatildaŽ pasteurizer (DairyTech Inc., Windsor, CO) is designed to heat-treat (HT)
individual 2L, 3L or 4L bags of colostrum. This system could be useful to dairies wanting to
process smaller volumes of colostrum, but requires validation. Our objective was to describe the
effect of using the MatildaŽ pasteurizer on colostrum characteristics as compared to raw
colostrum or colostrum heat-treated in a large batch pasteurizer.
The study was conducted on a large Minnesota dairy. Each day, first milking colostrum was
pooled to create an approximate 75 L batch. After aseptically collecting duplicate 10 mL samples
of raw colostrum (RAW; negative control), 3.8 L was transferred into a single Perfect UdderŽ
(PU) bag (DairyTech Inc.) then heat-treated in the MatildaŽ pasteurizer (MAT; 60 ℃ for 60
min). The remainder was heat-treated in a 30-gallon batch pasteurizer (BAT; 60 ℃ for 60 min;
DairyTech, Inc.; positive control). Following HT, duplicate 10 mL samples were collected from
the MAT and VAT systems and frozen. Colostrum samples from all treatments (RAW, MAT,
BAT; n=30 per treatment) were tested for IgG concentration (g/L) and cultured to describe
standard plate count (SPC) and coliform count (log 10 cfu/mL).
Analysis of variance showed that IgG was not affected by treatment, averaging 86.5, 82.7, and
82.9 g/L for RAW, BAT, and MAT groups, respectively. However, mean SPC counts (log 10
cfu/mL) were significantly and similarly reduced in MAT (3.0) and BAT (2.6) samples,
compared to RAW (4.1). Similarly, mean coliform counts (log 10 cfu/mL) were significantly and
similarly reduced in MAT (0.07) and BAT (0.21) samples, compared to RAW (3.2).
In conclusion, HT in either the MatildaŽ or batch pasteurizers similarly protected IgG while
reducing bacteria counts as compared to raw colostrum. The MatildaŽ pasteurizer could be
useful to dairies wanting to HT smaller volumes of colostrum.
