Methods of feeding colostrum and their effect on the passive immunity

Miloslav Šoch,Josef Illek,Luboš Zábranský,Nikola Havrdová,Naděžda Kernerová,Anna Poborská

doi:10.2754/avb202190010021

Abstract

Passive transport of colostral immunoglobulins is essential for calves to maintain optimal health. There are many factors that influence the absorption of immunoglobulins such as colostrum density, timing of ingestion, volume of colostrum but also the method of feeding. This study compares two manners of feeding calves – the esophageal tube feeder (n = 97) and the nipple bottle (n = 97), and their effect on the number of all absorbed immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD, and IgE). It was statistically proven that absorption of immunoglobulins is better with the nipple bottle (P< 0.0001). The feeding of calves through a nipple bottle is more beneficial because the content of total protein is the higher than by the feeding through an esophageal tube feeder.

Highlights

Calf morbidity and mortality is associated with high costs for the farmer, such as compensation for calf losses or the costs of medical treatments (Mohd et al 2012)
The mean values of total protein were 5.65 g/dl in calves fed with a nipple bottle, and 5.18 g/dl in calves fed with a tube feeder (Table 1)
The low values of total protein in the blood (> 5.2 g/dl) from all experimental calves were found by 12 calves fed through the esophageal tube feeder and 9 calves fed with a nipple bottle

Summary

Introduction

Calf morbidity and mortality is associated with high costs for the farmer, such as compensation for calf losses or the costs of medical treatments (Mohd et al 2012). Calf morbidity and mortality are important animal welfare issues (Mee 2013). Appropriate development of the innate immune system is essential so that newborn calves would survive, especially when they face the pressure of infectious diseases that are responsible for high morbidity and mortality. The absorption of maternal Ig across the small intestine during the first 24 h after birth, termed passive transfer, helps to protect the calf against common disease organisms until its own immature immune system becomes functional (National Animal Health Monitoring system 1996; Weaver et al 2008). Failure of passive transfer (FPT) has been linked with increased calf morbidity and mortality and a reduction in calf growth rate (Robison et al 1988; Wells et al 1996; Donovan et al 1998).

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