Lyophilized bovine colostrum as a source of immunoglobulins and insulin-like growth factor for newborn goat kids

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate lyophilized bovine colostrum as an alternative source of passive immunity and insulin like growth factor I (IGF-I) for goat kids, considering newborns consuming non-maternal colostrum. Twenty-nine male newborns received 5% of body weight of lyophilized bovine (LBC) or goat colostrum (GC), both with 55mg/mL of IgG, at 0, 7 and 14h of life. Blood samples were collected at 0, 7, 14, 18, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96h of life to determine serum IgG, total protein (TP), IGF-I and apparent efficiency of IgG absorption at 7, 14, 18 and 24h (AEA7hr, AEA14hr, AEA18hr, AEAtotal, respectively). In LBC, the values of serum IgG at 14, 18, 24 and 48h (13.1, 13.4, 14.1 and 14.6mg/mL, respectively) were higher than the values at 0 and 7h (0.04 and 6.9mg/mL, respectively). In GC, the serum IgG at 18h (9.3mg/mL) was higher than the value at 7h (5.5mg/mL). AEA7hr and AEA14hr in LBC were the same (19.2 and 18.5%, respectively, P>0.05) and the values of AEA18hr and AEAtotal, 9.3 and 9.5%, respectively, were equal and smaller than AEA7hr and AEA14hr. In GC, AEA7hr, 20.8%, was higher than AEA14hr, 16.1% (P<0.05) and AEA18hr and AEAtotal, 9.2 and 8.0%, respectively, were equal and smaller than AEA7hr and AEA14hr. The serum TP and IGF-I were not affected by colostrum feeding. Considering the variables study in the present work, lyophilized bovine colostrum constitutes a promising alternative substitute to goat colostrum in newborn goat kids, since the supply of immunoglobulins and IGF-I was suitable for the kids.