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Dietary Ascorbic Acid and Immune Response in Dairy Calves¹

Alabama Agriculture Experiment Station, Auburn University 36849

ABSTRACT

Colostrum-fed, colostrum-deprived, and colostrum-fed and colostrum-deprived calves fed ascorbic acid (1.75 g/d) in whole, raw milk to 6 wk of age were sampled from 0 to 8 wk of age in order to determine whether ascorbate supplementation would increase plasma Ig concentrations, antibody response to immunization, and disease resistance. Plasma IgG concentrations were lower at 14 and 28 d of age in calves fed ascorbate compared with plasma concentrations in calves not receiving ascorbate supplementation, irrespective of colostrum feeding. Colostrum feeding had no effect on antibody titer to keyhole limpet hemocyanin at any age, but ascorbate-supplemented calves had lower plasma antibody titers to keyhole limpet hemocyanin at 35 and 56 d of age. Calves fed ascorbate had lower clinical scores for diarrhea. Dietary ascorbate does not appear to be immunostimulatory in dairy calves to 56 d of age and appeared to inhibit antibody synthesis. However, at 14 d of age there was an interaction of ascorbate supplementation and colostrum feeding; plasma IgG concentrations were higher in colostrum-deprived calves fed ascorbate then in colostrum-deprived calves not fed ascorbate.

¹ Paper Number 4-871448P. Approved by the director for publication.

² Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, College of Agriculture.

³ Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, and Department of Animal Health Research, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station.

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