Passive Immunoglobin Transfer in Newborn Calves Fed Colostrum or Spray-Dried Serum Protein Alone or as a Supplement to Colostrum of Varying Quality

¹ Range Cattle Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Ona 33865
² Research Technologies, Inc., Loveland, CO 80538
³ American Protein Corporation, Inc., Ames, IA 50010
⁴ Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of serum-derived immunoglobin (Ig) source and the effect of colostrum supplementation with serum-derived Ig on the attainment of passive immunity in newborn colostrum-deprived calves. In experiment 1, colostrum-deprived Holstein bull calves were fed pooled colostrum (PC, n = 9), spray-dried bovine serum (BS, n = 11), or spray- dried porcine serum (PS, n = 9). All treatments were balanced to provide 45 g of IgG in a 2-L volume at birth and again 12 h later. Calves receiving BS had higher 24-h serum IgG concentrations than did calves receiving PC or PS (8.3, 5.7, and 4.2 g of IgG/L for BS, PC, and PS, respectively). In experiment 2, the effect of supplementing bovine colostrum of varying quality with BS on Ig absorption was assessed. Thirty-two colostrum-deprived Holstein bull calves and four freemartin heifer calves were allotted by birth order to receive one of three treatments. Treatments consisted of 1) 2 L of pooled high quality colostrum (95.8 g of IgG, 0% from BS), 2) 2 L of pooled medium quality colostrum mixed with BS (95.2 g of IgG, 47% from BS), or 3) 2 L of low quality colostrum mixed with BS (98.8 g of IgG, 70% from BS). Serum IgG concentrations at 24 h after treatment were greater for calves receiving medium and low quality colostrum supplemented with BS (6.2, 9.6, and 9.6 g of IgG/L for high, medium, and low quality colostrum, respectively). Similarly, apparent efficiency of IgG absorption was greater for calves receiving medium and low quality colostrum supplemented with BS (25, 37, and 38% for high, medium, and low quality colostrum, respectively). The results of these studies suggest that dried BS contains a concentrated source of Ig, which is efficiently absorbed by newborn calves. Supplementation of marginal or low quality colostrum with dried BS is an effective means of improving passive transfer of IgG in newborn calves.

Key Words: immunoglobulin • colostrum • bovine serum • calves

Submitted on March 27, 2000
Accepted on July 18, 2000

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. C. R. C. Porto, L. L. Oliveira, L. C. Ferraz, L. E. S. Ferraz, S. M. O. Thomaz, J. C. Rosa, and M. C. Roque-Barreira Isolation of Bovine Immunoglobulins Resistant to Peptic Digestion: New Perspectives in the Prevention of Failure in Passive Immunization of Neonatal Calves J Dairy Sci, February 1, 2007; 90(2): 955 - 962. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. Jones, R. E. James, J. D. Quigley III, and M. L. McGilliard Influence of Pooled Colostrum or Colostrum Replacement on IgG and Evaluation of Animal Plasma in Milk Replacer J Dairy Sci, June 1, 2004; 87(6): 1806 - 1814. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]