Local and systemic antibody responses in cows following immunization with staphylococcal antigens in the dry period

Abstract

Groups of cows received a staphylococcal cell toxoid vaccine either systemically or locally into the udder at drying-off in the hope that this would prime lymphoid cells migrating to the udder during involution. Two weeks before calving, the animals received local infusions of plain vaccine into 2 quarters of the udder. Antitoxic and agglutinating antibodies in serum, colostrum and milk were measured at intervals. All cows had high colostral antibody titres which dropped to background levels by 2 weeks. There was an indication of some local antibody being produced in those quarters of animals which had previously received 2 infusions of plain vaccine, but this was short-lived. There was no evidence for any prolonged local antibody production in the infused glands which might influence the course of a mastitic infection.