The present invention provides for recombinant antibodies having the features of ruminant early colostrum antibodies that impart resistance to proteases and intestinal digestion. It is a feature of the present invention that when administered to animals including humans, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the novel recombinant antibodies of the present invention, advantageously exhibit resistance to proteases and intestinal digestion. Thus, pharmaceutical compositions of the recombinant antibodies of the invention may be used to deliver antibody therapeutics particularly by oral delivery to the gastrointestinal tract when oral delivery is advantageous.