The following is of note - to anyone interested in the word "beestings" the following is copied from an article for which I "Yahooed" - it appears all mammals produce it

The article says  "Colostrum has a long history of use in the practice of medicine, especially in Ayurvedic medicine, and has been successfully used to treat a host of chronic diseases...  [and] is said to be the perfect anti-aging food and has been used in expensive spas for years.

"A friend of mine from Turkey recounts that her mother always obtained colostrum in the spring, often at great trouble and expense, from a farmer in the countryside She then lined up all the children and gave them a cupful of this tonic to drink. The immediate result, says my friend, was that they all fell asleep. The colostrum was said to help keep them healthy throughout the year...

"In the English countryside, colostrum is called 'beestings' and is used in a variety of custard and pudding dishes. It can be substituted for eggs because when used, it will cause the puddings to 'set.'"

Wise Traditions says that its recipes came from an old book called Farmhouse Fare. Mrs. H. M. Watkins of Wrexham (North Wales) had offered this tip: "We do not use the very first as it is so deep in colour. I always test it by putting a little on a saucer in the oven. If it sets too thick, I put a pint of milk to 3 pints of beestings (or in proportion, according to the way it sets), sprinkle a little pudding-spice on top and add a little sugar. Let it simmer in the oven, but not boil, just as if you were making an egg custard

Kveðja

Patricia