Immunoglobulin Concentration In Colostrum Research Articles

Beyond Birth: Pioneering Insights into Colostrum Quality Variation among Bitches with Different Types of Parturition.

This study deals with the immunological quality of canine colostrum in relation to the different parturition modes in bitches. It included four groups of bitches, who underwent vaginal parturition (VP), emergency cesarean section (EM-CS), elective cesarean section (EL-CS), or elective cesarean section with aglepristone injection 24 h prior to surgery (EL-A). Colostrum samples from 40 bitches of 18 breeds were taken immediately after the birth of the first puppy or directly after surgery, and four hours later. The concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA were measured using ELISA tests. The initial IgG concentration was 18.3 ± 10.2 g/L, and the IgA concentration was 13.7 ± 5.8 g/L, respectively. Significantly lower IgG and IgA concentrations were observed in the EL-CS group compared to other groups. The administration of aglepristone led to an increase in IgG and IgA concentrations. Despite the lower immunoglobulin levels with EL-CS, the survival rate of the puppies was not affected. The study shows that immunoglobulin concentrations in colostrum vary between bitches, with the type of birth significantly influencing the levels. Progesterone withdrawal before birth could play a decisive role in increasing IgG and IgA concentrations in the mammary glands of the bitches.

PSXIV-30 Effects of Vitamin/Mineral Supplementation During Gestation in Beef Heifers on Immunoglobulin Concentrations in Colostrum and Immune Responses in Naturally and Artificially Reared Calves

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the impacts of feeding a vitamin/mineral supplement to beef heifers throughout gestation on concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig) in colostrum and in calf serum 24 h after consumption of maternal colostrum (Exp. 1) or a colostrum replacement product (Exp. 2). Angus-based beef heifers [n = 72, initial body weight (BW) = 380.4 ± 50.56 kg] were managed in an individual feeding system and randomly assigned to a basal diet targeting gain of 0.45 kg·heifer-1·d-1 (CON; n = 36) or the basal diet plus 113 g·heifer-1·d-1 of a vitamin/mineral supplement (VTM; n = 36). For Exp. 1 treatments began at the time of artificial insemination (AI) to sexed semen, and heifers becoming pregnant after first service AI (CON, n = 14; VTM, n = 17) continued treatments throughout gestation. At calving, heifer calves were allowed to nurse their dams and remained alongside their dams until weaning. For Exp 2. non-pregnant heifers were rebred 60 d after initial dietary treatments began and continued treatments throughout gestation, with resultant heifer calves (CON, n = 7; VTM, n = 7) being removed from their dams at birth and receiving 1.5 L of colostrum replacer containing 150 g globulin protein via an esophageal feeder, followed every 12 h by 1.9 L of milk replacer. In both experiments samples of colostrum were collected after completely milking the rear-right quarter of the udder. Blood samples were collected from calves before (within 2 h of birth) and 24 h after colostrum consumption. Concentrations of IgG, IgM, and IgA were quantified in colostrum and serum via bovine radial immunodiffusion plates. Data for both experiments were analyzed for the effect of treatment using the MIXED procedure in SAS, with additional analysis of data from Exp. 1 using the CORR procedure to determine correlations among dam colostrum and calf serum Ig concentrations at 24 h. In both experiments, maternal treatment did not affect (P ≥ 0.21) concentrations of IgG, IgM, or IgA in colostrum at calving or in calf serum at 24 h. All calves from both experiments had undetectable concentrations of these respective immunoglobulins at birth. Concentrations of IgG at 24 h in calves that received maternal colostrum were 2,595.8 ± 535.38 mg/dL (Exp. 1), whereas those that received colostrum replacer were 1,610.6 ± 335.09 mg/dL (Exp. 2). Concentrations of IgG, IgM, and IgA were positively correlated (r ≥ 0.34; P ≤ 0.05) with concentrations of calf serum IgG, IgM, and IgA at 24 h after suckling. Our results suggest that maternal vitamin/mineral supplementation throughout gestation did not impact Ig concentrations in colostrum or the resultant serum Ig concentrations in calves either 24 h after suckling or after delivery of a commercial colostrum replacer.

Genome-wide association studies for immunoglobulin concentrations in colostrum and serum in Chinese Holstein

BackgroundThe early death and health problems of calves caused substantial economic losses in the dairy industry. As the immune system of neonates has not been fully developed, the absorption of maternal immunoglobulin (Ig) from colostrum is essential in protecting newborn calves against common disease organisms in their early life. The overwhelming majority of Ig in bovine whey is transported from the serum. Therefore, Ig concentration in the colostrum and serum of dairy cows are critical traits when estimating the potential disease resistance of its offspring.ResultsColostrum, blood, and hair follicle samples were collected from 588 Chinese Holstein cows within 24 h after calving. The concentration of total IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgA and IgM in both colostrum and serum were detected via ELISA methods. With GCTA software, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) were performed with 91,620 SNPs genotyped by GeneSeek 150 K (140,668 SNPs) chips. As a result, 1, 5, 1 and 29 significant SNPs were detected associated with the concentrations of colostrum IgG1, IgG2, IgA IgM, and serum IgG2 at the genome-wide level (P < 3.08E–6); 11, 2, 13, 2, 12, 8, 2, 27, 1 and 4 SNPs were found significantly associated with total IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgA and IgM in colostrum and serum at the suggestive level (P < 6.15E–5). Such SNPs located in or proximate to (±1 Mb) 423 genes, which were functionally implicated in biological processes and pathways, such as immune response, B cell activation, inflammatory response and NF-kappaB signaling pathways. By combining the biological functions and the known QTL data for immune traits in bovine, 14 promising candidate functional genes were identified for immunoglobulin concentrations in colostrum and serum in dairy cattle, they were FGFR4, FGFR2, NCF1, IKBKG, SORBS3, IGHV1S18, KIT, PTGS2, BAX, GRB2, TAOK1, ICAM1, TGFB1 and RAC3.ConclusionsIn this study, we identified 14 candidate genes related to concentrations of immunoglobulins in colostrum and serum in dairy cattle by performing GWASs. Our findings provide a groundwork for unraveling the key genes and causal mutations affecting immunoglobulin concentrations in colostrum and important information for genetic improvement of such traits in dairy cattle.

Determining Immunoglobulin Content of Bovine Colostrum and Factors Affecting the Outcome: A Review.

Simple SummaryColostrum management plays an essential role in calf husbandry and strongly influences the calf. The immunoglobulin concentration denominates the quality of the colostrum, which is influenced by numerous factors. Therefore, the measurement of the immunoglobulin concentration is important. This review provides an overview of measurement methods for estimating the immunoglobulin concentration in bovine colostrum. In addition, influencing factors are identified and their impact on the immunoglobulin concentration is discussed. Radial immunodiffusion and the Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay are the most commonly used direct measurement methods. A refractometer and a colostrometer are practical indirect on-farm instruments that can be used to estimate the immunoglobulin concentration. External characteristics such as viscosity or color allow for an initial assessment but are too inaccurate. Animal-related factors such as colostrum yield, parity, and breed influence the immunoglobulin concentration. In addition, environmental factors are also important. The duration between birth and first feeding postpartum is important for the supply of colostrum with a sufficient immunoglobulin concentration. The influence of treatment methods such as freezing and thawing, on the other hand, depends strongly on the procedure and does not necessarily lead to a reduction in the immunoglobulin concentration. The influencing factors are complex and newer ones, such as genetics, have not yet been sufficiently investigated.The immunoglobulin concentration in bovine colostrum should be measured to ensure feeding with sufficient immunoglobulins (≥50 mg immunoglobulin G mL−1). Adequate feeding prevents diseases, promotes development, and has a positive influence on the adult animal. Indirect and direct measurement methods are available for this purpose. Direct measurement methods cannot be easily used in practice; therefore, farmers use indirect methods such as a colostrometer and a refractometer. Many factors influence the immunoglobulin concentration of colostrum; some of them have already been intensively researched. In particular, lactation and temporal aspects play an essential role. Newer aspects such as dry period, seasonal influences, and genetics are gaining importance, but their impact on immunoglobulin content has not been sufficiently investigated. Developments are still needed, especially in data management. This review analyzes the outcome of different studies on the indirect and direct measurement methods and discusses different factors influencing the immunoglobulin concentration of bovine colostrum.

Estimation of heritability for immunoglobulin concentrations in colostrum and serum in Holstein cows and their calves

In the present study, colostrum quality in Holstein cows and their genetic parameters for passive transfer traits in calves were estimated. In order to get an estimation, colostrum Brix (ColBrix), colostrum immunoglobulin G (ColIgG) of Holstein cows, and serum total protein (STP) and serum immunoglobulin G (SIgG) levels of the calves of selected cows raised in a private livestock company in Turkey were assessed. Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated by MTDFREML using a mixed model. The heritability for ColBrix, ColIgG, STP and SIgG was estimated to be 0.19 ± 0.07, 0.19 ± 0.07, 0.36 ± 0.10 and 0.34 ± 0.10, respectively. According to the results of bivariate analysis, genetic correlations between the traits varied between –0.98 and +0.98. There was a sufficient genetic variance for SIgG in the calves in the population and thus a significant genetic improvement may be achieved by selection in order to increase the passive transfer. It will be worthwhile to continue the efforts for genetic improvement studies which have the potential to reduce calf deaths in the future.

Feeding β-hydroxy β-methyl butyrate to sows in late gestation improves litter and piglet performance to weaning and colostrum immunoglobulin concentrations

Positive effects of β-hydroxy β-methyl butyrate (HMB) on reproductive performance, growth rate and health have been reported in both human and animal studies. However, research into its effect on sow and litter performance is limited and the results show inconsistencies. The aim of this work was to determine the effects of HMB supplementation to sows on litter and piglet performance to weaning. A total of 279 (214 Large White × Landrace and 65 Large White × Landrace × Duroc) multiparous sows were used across four experiments. Sows received either a control diet or a diet supplemented with HMB (minimum of 15 mg/kg sow’s body weight) from day 100 of gestation until parturition (ca. day 115). The number of piglets born (total, alive or dead) was not affected by maternal dietary treatments. Feeding sows HMB increased total live born litter weight by 5.0 % (P = 0.031) with tendencies for these litters to remain heavier at week one (P = 0.081) and at weaning (P = 0.084). There were tendencies for HMB to increase average piglet weights at birth (P = 0.088), week one (P = 0.088) and at weaning (P = 0.054). In addition, there was a tendency for HMB to increase piglet growth rate from week one to weaning (P = 0.079). The concentration of IgM in colostrum was increased by 9.7 % with HMB supplementation (P = 0.029). The concentration of IgG was influenced by an interaction between diet and experiment (P = 0.016) whereby HMB significantly increased the colostrum concentration of IgG in experiment 1, numerically increased IgG concentration in experiment 2, but had no effect in experiment 3. Overall HMB supplementation to sows at a minimum dose of 15 mg/kg body weight for 15 days prior to parturition significantly increased litter weight at birth with tendencies for litters and average piglet weights to remain heavier at weaning. Supplemental HMB significantly increased the concentration of IgM in colostrum with a significant interaction between diet and experiment for IgG concentration.

Determination of immunoglobulin concentrations and genetic parameters for colostrum and calf serum in Charolais animals

Colostrum samples from 366 Charolais primiparous cows, as well as serum from their calves at 24 to 48 h of age, were collected to gain an overview of the situation regarding passive immune transfer in beef cattle, from both the phenotypic and genetic points of view. All samples were analyzed to quantify their G1 immunoglobulins by radial immunodiffusion (RID) and their IgG, IgA, and IgM using ELISA. The average concentrations obtained in colostrum were 84 mg/mL for RID-IgG1, and 158 mg/mL, 4.5 mg/mL and 10.8 mg/mL for ELISA-IgG, -IgA, and -IgM, respectively. The corresponding values in calf serum were 19.9, 30.6, 1.0, and 1.9 mg/mL. Apart from the general environmental effect (farm-year combination and laboratory conditions), the characteristics of the dams tested did not reveal any influence on colostrum immunoglobulin concentrations. Calving difficulty, as well as the birth weight and sex of calves, were found to be associated with serum concentrations in some cases. Heritability estimates were low to moderate, with the highest being for RID-IgG1 in colostrum (h2 = 0.28, standard error = 0.14) and serum (h2 = 0.36, standard error = 0.18). Phenotypic correlations among the different immunoglobulins were generally positive or null, and none of the genetic correlations were significant due to large standard errors. The phenotypic correlation between dam colostrum and calf serum values was 0.2 for RID-IgG1 and null for the 3 ELISA measurements. The correlation between RID-IgG1 and ELISA-IgG was, unexpectedly, null for colostrum and 0.4 for serum. Increased RID-IgG1 levels in calf serum were associated with improved survival, as well as better early growth and fewer health problems. These results thus showed that despite generally higher concentrations in beef than in dairy cattle, passive transfer was unsuccessful in a considerable number of calves. This should be brought to the attention of breeders to avoid negative effects on survival and subsequent performance. The heritability estimates were encouraging; however, obtaining phenotypes on a large scale constitutes a real limitation regarding these traits.

Effects of antioxidants and prebiotics as vegetable pellet feed on production performance, hematological parameters and colostrum immunoglobulin content in transition dairy cows

This research study addresses the hypothesis that supplementation of vegetable pellet feed (VPF) affects the quantity and quality of performance, blood parameters, and colostrum immunoglobulin concentration in dairy cows during the transition period. A total of 18 multiparous Holstein dairy cows were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups: 1- Control (basal diet; 0 g VPF/cow/day), 2-VPF10 (basal diet+ 10 g VPF/cow/day), and 3-VPF20 (basal diet+ 20 g VPF/cow/day). Cows were treated for 2 weeks before calving until 10 weeks after calving. Results showed that the VPF supplementation tends to increased milk yield (P = .09) and milk protein percentage linearly (P < .05) compared to the control group. Milk urea nitrogen (MUN) tended to be decreased linearly by VPF20 compared to control (P < .05) during week 2, while decreasing compared to control and VPF10 (P < .01) at week 8 of lactation. However, colostrum immunoglobulin concentration was not affected by the experimental diets. Blood lymphocyte and neutrophil concentration were lower and higher for the VPF10 group compared to control and VPF20 on week 2 of lactation, respectively (P < .05). Moreover, basophile concentration was lower for VPF supplementation than CTR group on week 2 of lactation (quadratic response; P < .05). It was concluded that feeding of VPF had a positive effect on production and several hematological items of early lactation dairy cows, especially at the first 2 weeks of lactation. Highlights Vegetable pellet feed (VPF) supplementation positively increased milk protein percentage. Supplementation of VPF does not affect colostrum immunoglobulins. Feeding of VPF improved physiological responses of postpartum dairy cows through haematological parameters and white blood cells count during early lactation.

Effect of Parity on Reproductive Performance and Composition of Sow Colostrum during First 24 h Postpartum.

Simple SummaryThis work looks at the effects of the number of parturitions on the reproductive performances of sows and on the composition of the colostrum. We also studied the effect that sample collection time (0–24 h postpartum) has on colostrum composition. The reproductive parameters of the sows were hardly affected by the number of parturitions, and only the birth weights of piglets born alive were lower in sows first, third and fifth farrowing. The colostrum of primiparous sows had higher concentrations of dry matter, fat, lactose and non-fat-solids than those of the rest of the sows. The postpartum sampling time had a strong effect on colostrum composition, the first sample being higher in protein and lower in lactose than those obtained later. From an immunological point of view, the concentration of immunoglobulins in the colostrum was not influenced by the sow’s parity. Serum IgG showed a strong correlation with colostrum IgG and IgM, and colostrum IgG with colostrum IgM, but not with IgA. In turn, IgA did not correlate with any other immunoglobulin, which suggests that the immunoglobins in colostrum behave differently.The aim of this study is to assess the effects of parity number on sow reproductive performance and the chemical and immunological composition of colostrum and immunoglobin concentrations in the sera of the sows. Colostrum samples were collected at 0, 6 and 24 h after the births of the first piglets from 56 sows with different numbers of parturitions (ranging 1–6). The piglets born alive to primiparous sows had lower birth weights (p < 0.05) than piglets from second and fourth parturition sows. The colostrum composition was influenced (p < 0.05) by parity number: primiparous sows had higher concentrations of dry matter, fat, lactose and non-fat-solids. No parity-dependent differences were found concerning total protein amount. Colostrum composition was drastically affected (p < 0.001) by sampling time—the highest concentrations of dry matter and protein and lowest concentrations of fat and lactose were found immediately after parturition (0 h). The study revealed no effect of parity (p ≥ 0.05) on the concentrations of immunoglobulins in colostrum. The immunoglobulin with the highest level in sow serum at day 110 of gestation was IgG, while IgA showed the lowest values and greater variability with respect to parity from an immunological point of view. Regarding the relationship between serum Ig levels at the end of gestation and colostrum Ig, serum IgG showed a strong correlation with colostrum IgG and IgM, while colostrum IgG was strongly related with colostrum IgM, but not with IgA. IgA did not correlate with any other immunoglobulin. The different behaviors of the immunoglobins in colostrum were probably due to IgG coming almost exclusively from the sows’ sera, whereas IgA is mainly synthetized by the mammary gland.

Effects of maternal supplementation with fully oxidised β-carotene on the reproductive performance and immune response of sows, as well as the growth performance of nursing piglets.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of dietary fully oxidised β-carotene (OxBC, C40H60O15) supplementation during the perinatal period on immune status and productivity in a sow model. At day 85 of pregnancy, 150 sows were allocated to one of three dietary treatments with fifty sows per treatment. The three experimental diets were supplemented with 0, 4 or 8 mg/kg OxBC in the basal diet. The feeding trial was conducted from gestation day 85 until day 21 of lactation. Dietary OxBC supplementation greatly enhanced colostrum IgM, IgA and IgG levels, and the IgM and IgG content of 14-d milk. Dietary OxBC supplementation decreased the TNF-α and IL-8 levels in colostrum, as well as the TNF-α and IL-18 levels in 14-d milk. There was also a tendency towards an increase in the soluble CD14 level in 14-d milk. Although dietary treatments did not affect average daily feed intake nor backfat thickness loss during lactation, dietary OxBC supplementation tended to enhance litter weight and individual piglet weight at weaning. There was a trend towards increased lactose concentration in 14-d milk with increasing dietary OxBC. It is concluded that dietary supplementation with OxBC during the perinatal period enhances the lactose concentration of sow milk and the immune status of sows, which is reflected by improved cytokine status and immunoglobulin concentrations in colostrum and milk, and thus tending to increase litter weight and individual piglet weight at weaning. The results also provide a scientific nutritional reference for perinatal mothers due to the biological similarity between pigs and humans.

The production and composition of colostrum from ewes supplemented with niacin (vitamin B3)

Context Twin-bearing ewes may be unable to produce enough colostrum following birth to support the survival of two lambs. This causes the newborn lambs to be at risk of death due to starvation, mismothering, cold exposure and infection. Niacin has previously been demonstrated in cattle to increase immunoglobulin concentrations in colostrum, possibly due to niacin increasing blood flow, allowing the greater accumulation of nutrients and immunoglobulins in colostrum. High producing animals, such as the late gestation twin-bearing ewe, may not be able to produce enough niacin to meet their production requirements. Aims This experiment evaluated whether supplementation of niacin (vitamin B3) to late gestation twin-bearing ewes would increase colostrum production and composition (concentration of fat, lactose, protein and immunoglobulin G), and postnatal lamb growth. Methods A total of 24 artificially inseminated Merino ewes were weighed, body condition scored, aged and randomly allocated to a treatment – control treatment or with 5 g/day niacin supplemented for 2 weeks before lambing until 2–8 days post-lambing. Key results Colostrum production and immunoglobulin G concentration were similar between treatments (P > 0.05). Ewes supplemented with niacin produced significantly higher (P = 0.039) colostral protein at 12.54% compared with the control group ewes at 11.78%. Early lamb growth rates were unaffected (P > 0.05) by treatment. Conclusions Supplementation of ewes with 5 g/day niacin is not recommended to increase the production of colostrum and immunoglobulin G or to increase lamb growth rates following birth. Implications Further research into niacin supplementation, supplementation time and supplementation amount for production effects in late gestation ewes is warranted.

Long-Term Effects of Maternal Subnutrition in Early Pregnancy on Cow-Calf Performance, Immunological and Physiological Profiles during the Next Lactation.

Simple SummaryEarly pregnancy is a crucial stage in the fetus development. In this phase, from undifferentiated cells, equal to each other, tissues and organs start to develop. Nutrition and metabolic status of the cow during pregnancy affect the intrauterine environment and the nutrient source for the fetus. Therefore, cow diet during early pregnancy affects the fetus development and could have long-term consequences on the future calf. In this study, we assessed the effects of a poor maternal diet during the first third of gestation on the performance of cows and calves during the next lactation, as well as the effect on the transfer of immunity from cow to calf. We used Parda de Montaña and Pirenaica cow-calf pairs, two Spanish autochthonous beef breeds. We concluded that maternal undernutrition reduced the body fat reserves of cows at calving, which affected most of the cow productive parameters and the colostrum immunoglobulin concentration. Furthermore, poor maternal diet altered the calf development and metabolic status, with reduced size and weight at weaning, especially in the Pirenaica breed, which prioritized the cow maintenance instead of the calf growth.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of undernutrition during the first third of gestation on cow-calf performance, immunological and physiological profiles during the next lactation in two cattle breeds. Fifty-three Parda de Montaña (PA) and 32 Pirenaica (PI) cows were inseminated, assigned to one of two diets (CONTROL or SUBNUT; 100% or 65% of their requirements) until day 82 of gestation, and fed 100% of the requirements during gestation and next lactation. Cow and calf performance were assessed during lactation. Colostrum and cow-calf plasma samples were analyzed to assess the passive transfer of immunoglobulins and to characterize energy metabolism. At calving, SUBNUT cows had a lower body condition score, which impaired most of the cow-calf parameters. All cows had considerable weight losses during lactation except for SUBNUT-PI cows. Colostrum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration was lower in SUBNUT-PI cows, and milk fat content was higher in SUBNUT cows. SUBNUT calves had lower values of body measurements at weaning, and calves born from SUBNUT-PI dams had lower milk intake and the lowest average daily gain (ADG), which was reflected in their lower plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentration. In conclusion, undernutrition in early gestation in suckler cows had long-term effects on offspring postnatal growth, this physiological evidence being more severe in Pirenaica cow-calf pairs.

A proteomics study of colostrum and milk from the two major small ruminant dairy breeds from the Canary Islands: a bovine milk comparison perspective

Colostrum and milk feeding are key factors for the newborn ruminant survival, affecting the future performance of the animal. Nowadays, there is an increasing interest in the potential of feeding newborn ruminants (mainly goat kids and lambs) with colostrum and milk from other more productive ruminant species (mainly cows). Although some studies regarding differences between colostrum and milk from these three species have been performed, herein we conduct for the first time a comparison using a proteomics 2-Dimensional Electrophoresis gel-based approach between these three ruminant species. In this study colostrum and milk samples from six Holstein cows, six Canarian sheep and six Majorera goats were used to determine the chemical composition, immunoglobulin G (IgG) and M (IgM) concentrations and proteomics profiles. Results showed that in general sheep colostrum and milk contained higher fat, protein and lactose percentages compared to bovine and goat samples. Additionally, no differences in the IgG or IgM concentrations were found among any of the three studied species, with the exception of sheep colostrum that showed the highest IgM concentration. With reference to the proteomics-based approach, some high abundant proteins such as serum albumin precursor, beta-caseins or different immunoglobulins components were found in colostrum, milk or even both. Nevertheless, differences in other proteins with immune function such as serotransferrin or lactoperoxidase were detected. This study shows that despite the similar immunoglobulin concentrations in colostrum and milk from the three studied species, differences in several immune components can be detected when these samples are studied using a proteomics approach. Finally, this study also provides a base for future investigation in colostrum and milk proteomics and metabolomics.

Rapid Communication: Colostrum immunoglobulin concentration in mammary quarters is repeatable in consecutive lactations of dairy cows.

Colostrum IgG concentration and yield vary tremendously among farms and cows and among quarters within cows. The present study quantified changes in quarter colostrum characteristics up to 3 successive lactations. First colostrum was quarter collected within 4 h after parturition in the first 2 consecutive lactations from 12 cows, and colostrum was obtained from 14 multiparous dairy cows in 2 consecutive lactations and 8 cows thereof in 3 consecutive lactations. Colostrum yield per quarter showed a high variation in both primiparous and multiparous dairy cows during consecutive lactations. Percentage distribution of colostrum yield among quarters within cows was similar from parity to parity. The differences in colostrum yield within the same quarter were higher in cows from the first to the second lactation compared with the differences within quarters of multiparous cows in consecutive lactations ( < 0.05). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for quarter colostrum yield was found to be similar in cows from the first to the second parity (ICC = 0.42) and within consecutive lactations of multiparous cows (ICC = 0.44). Whereas the position of the quarter did not influence colostrum yield in cows from the first to the second lactation, quarter colostrum yield in multiparous cows was higher in rear quarters than in front quarters ( < 0.05) with fewer changes in successive lactations. Concentration and mass of IgG in quarter-milked colostrum distinctly varied among quarters and cows in both primiparous and multiparous cows. In multiparous cows, higher values for quarter concentration and mass of IgG were observed when compared with primiparous cows, in particular in the rear quarters ( < 0.05). Relative differences of IgG concentration and mass within quarters were higher in consecutive lactations of multiparous cows compared with differences within quarters of cows in the first 2 lactations ( < 0.05). The ICC of colostral IgG concentration and mass within quarters of cows from the first to the second lactation was 0.52 and 0.67, respectively, and lower compared with the ICC of IgG concentration and mass within quarters during consecutive lactations of multiparous cows. In conclusion, IgG concentration and mass were shown to be more repeatable within quarters of multiparous dairy cows compared with the first 2 lactations of dairy cows. Contrarily, colostrum yield within quarters in consecutive lactations had only a moderate repeatability and seemed to be affected by factors other than genetics.

Prepartum supplementation of nicotinic acid: Effects on health of the dam, colostrum quality, and acquisition of immunity in the calf

Nicotinic acid (NA) has been shown to reduce lipolysis, alter milk components and the ruminal environment, and increase blood flow. Increased blood flow to the mammary gland during colostrogenesis might increase nutrients and immunoglobulin concentration of colostrum. Twenty-six multiparous Holstein cows were housed in a tiestall barn. Cows were blocked by expected calving date and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments 4 wk prepartum: (1) 0g/d of NA (control, CON) or (2) 48g/d of NA (NA). Total mixed ration amounts fed and refused were measured daily to determine dry matter intake. Blood samples were collected from dams every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from the coccygeal vein or artery and were analyzed for glucose, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). Colostrum was collected and weighed within 90 min of parturition. Colostral immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration was analyzed using radial immunodiffusion assay. Calves were removed from their dams before suckling and weighed within 30 min after birth. Calves received 3 L of a lacteal-based colostrum replacer that provided a total of 225.8g of IgG within 2h of birth. Calf blood samples were collected via jugular venipuncture at 0 and 24h of age and analyzed for IgG concentration and determination of apparent efficiency of absorption. Colostrum yield, dry matter intake, IgG yield, and fat and solids percentage of colostrum did not differ between treatments. Serum concentrations of glucose and BHB were not affected by treatment. We detected an effect of week on serum glucose concentrations at calving and on serum BHB concentrations at 1 wk postpartum. There was a treatment by week effect for serum NEFA concentrations at 1 wk postpartum, where cows that received NA prepartum had higher serum NEFA concentration than CON cows, indicating that a NEFA rebound occurred. No differences were observed for calf body weight, 0- or 24-h serum IgG concentration, or apparent efficiency of absorption. Supplementation of NA increased IgG concentration in colostrum from 73.8 to 86.8g/L. Results indicate that 48g/d of supplemental NA during the prepartum period improved colostrum quality.

Evaluation of an on-farm method to assess colostrum IgG content in sows

The objective of this work was to investigate the evaluation of swine colostrum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration using the Brix refractometer. Colostrum samples were collected across all teats, from 124 sows of mixed parities. According to sampling time, three categories were created: samples available from 9 h before the onset of parturition until the first piglet was born were classified as before farrowing; samples collected after the first birth until 4 h later were classified as during farrowing; and finally samples collected from this point until 14 h after parturition, were classified as after farrowing. Samples were drawn and divided into three portions; one was immediately analyzed, a second was refrigerated and the third was frozen at −20°C. Fresh and refrigerated colostrum samples were analyzed at the farm with a Brix refractometer. IgG content of frozen samples was analyzed using a Brix refractometer, with a subset of 42 samples also tested with a commercially available radial immune diffusion (RID) kit. The Brix percentage ranged from 18.3% to 33.2%. Brix percentage repeatability, assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), was very strong (fresh ICC=0.98, refrigerated ICC=0.88 and frozen ICC=0.99). One-way repeated-measures ANOVA showed that storage temperature did not affect BRIX percentage of colostrum IgG (P>0.05). ANOVA results show a significant effect of sampling time on colostrum immunoglobulin concentration, measured with both Brix and RID (Brix: P<0.003; RID: P<0.05). Immunoglobulin G concentration measured by RID ranged from 13.27 to 35.08 mg/ml. Pearson correlation coefficient revealed that Brix percentage was positively correlated (r=0.56, P<0.001) with RID results (regression equation: RID=1.01 (±0.2) Brix −1.94 (±5.66); R2=0.31). The results of this study indicate that the Brix refractometer provides a simple, fast and inexpensive estimation of colostrum IgG in sows.

Identification and quantification of factors affecting neonatal immunological transfer in dairy calves in the UK

The object of the study was to quantify the prevalence of failure of passive transfer in UK dairy farms and to identify variables that had a significant impact on the...

Factors affecting immunoglobulin concentration in colostrum of healthy Holstein cows immediately after delivery

This study analyzed the influence of the number of milkings, number of births, and udder quarter in immunoglobulin (Ig) concentration in the colostrum of healthy Holstein cows. It was collected two samples of colostrum by manual milking, getting the first jets to completion of bacteriological examination and immunoglobulin levels by radial immunodiffusion test in agar gel. Positive samples for bacteriological examination were excluded from this investigation. Medians of immunoglobulin's G, A and M in the colostrum collected before the first and second milking were respectively 9,200 and 6,400mg/dL (p=0.0029); 400 and 200mg/dL (p=0.0018); 800 and 400mg/dL (p=0.0001). Median immunoglobulin concentration in animals that calved once, twice or three times or in cows that calved 4 to 6 times were 6,400; 6,400; 3,200 and 11,200mg/dL IgG; 100, 200, 100 and 800mg/dL IgA ; and 400, 400, 100 and 800mg/dL IgM, respectively. Concentrations of IgG, IgA and IgM were greater in animals that calved more than 4 times (p&lt;0.05). Medians of IgG, IgA and IgM in the right fore quarter (RF), right hind quarter (RH), left fore quarter (LF) and left hind quarter (LH) were, respectively, 7,800; 6,400; 7,800 and 6,400mg/dL; 200, 200, 200 and 200mg/dL; and 400, 400, 400 and 400mg/dL. Ig concentrations in the colostrum of Holstein cows were influenced by the number of milkings after delivery and number of lactations. These variations may be considered risk factors to passive immunity transfer to newborn calves, predisposing them to diseases and causing economic losses to dairy production.

The effects of maternal dietary supplementation with seaweed extract and fish oil on the humoral immune response and performance of suckling piglets

A 2 × 2 factorial experiment (n = 10 sows/treatment) was performed to investigate the effects of maternal dietary supplementation with seaweed extract (SWE) (yes vs. no) and fish oil (FO) inclusion (0 vs. 100 g/day) from day 109 of gestation on colostrum composition, colostrum immunoglobulin concentrations, humoral immunity and growth of the suckling piglets. The SWE contained laminarin and fucoidan while the FO contained 40% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 25% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the piglets suckling the SWE supplemented sows, the concentrations of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) G were higher on days 5 ( P < 0.01) and 12 ( P < 0.05) of lactation and serum IgA was enhanced on day 5 ( P < 0.05) compared to non SWE supplemented sows. In contrast, fish oil supplementation resulted in a suppressive effect on serum IgA concentrations on day 5 ( P < 0.05). The SWE supplemented sows had a higher colostrum IgG ( P < 0.01) and milk protein concentration on day 12 ( P < 0.05). Fish oil had no effect on either colostrum or milk composition. Average piglet weaning weight was not influenced by dietary treatment. In conclusion, the supplementation of the sow diet with SWE positively influenced humoral immune response in suckling piglets and may alleviate any disease challenge presenting to the piglet during the pre-weaning period, although no improvement in growth rate was observed under the current experimental conditions.

Effect of colostrum immunoglobulin concentration on immunity in Majorera goat kids

The aim of the research was to evaluate the effects of immunoglobulin G (IgG) colostrum concentration on goat kid immune status when the total amount of IgG fed was constant. Majorera goat kids (n=56) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups, and kids received 4g of IgG per kg of body weight of atomized colostrum at 4 different IgG concentrations: 20 (AC-20), 40 (AC-40), 60 (AC-60), and 80 (AC-80) mg/mL. Blood samples were obtained on d 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 postpartum. Immunoglobulin G, IgA, and IgM plasma concentrations, apparent efficiency of absorption of IgG, plasma chitotriosidase activity, plasma complement activity, and plasma proteinogram were measured. Plasma IgG and IgM concentrations were highest on d 1 in AC-80 animals, and IgA plasma concentration was lower in AC-20 than in AC-80. The apparent efficiency of absorption was higher in AC-80 (24.4%) than in the other treatment groups (by an average of 13.8%). Chitotriosidase plasma activity on d 5 (1,488 nmol/mL per hour) was higher than on d 0 and 1 (average of 1,183 nmol/mL per hour). There were no effects of colostrum IgG concentration on complement activity and plasma protein distribution, but γ-globulin and α-globulin were lower on d 0 than on d 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Increasing the immunoglobulin concentration in colostrum using atomized colostrum improves the immunoglobulin absorption at the same amount of immunoglobulin fed.