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Immune responses of Holstein and Norwegian Red x Holstein calves on Canadian dairy farms

N. Begley^*,, F. Buckley^*,1, E. B. Burnside, L. Schaeffer, K. Pierce and B. A. Mallard^#

^* Teagasc, Dairy Production Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
School of Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Gencor, R.R. #5, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1H6J
Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1
^# Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1

¹ Corresponding author: frank.buckley{at}teagasc.ie

The objective of this study was to compare the immune response of Holstein and Norwegian Red x Holstein calves on 13 commercial Canadian dairy farms. Data were collected on 135 calves, 68 Holstein and 67 Norwegian Red x Holstein calves aged between 2 and 6 mo. The calves were immunized with hen egg white lysozyme to induce antibody-mediated immune response. Candida albicans was used as an in vivo indicator of cell-mediated immune response, with delayed-type hypersensitivity used as the indicator. Antibody response to hen egg white lysozyme (IgG, IgG1, and IgG2) was measured by ELISA. Calves of both breed groups produced a significant primary and secondary antibody-mediated immune response, as well as a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction. The Norwegian Red x Holstein produced a greater primary IgG antibody-mediated immune response (d 14, and d 14 minus d 0) when compared with the Holstein. No differences were observed between the breeds for secondary response or antihen egg white lysozyme isotype (IgG1 or IgG2) production or the ratio of IgG1:IgG2. There was no effect of breed on delayed-type hypersensitivity. Nonetheless, high and low immune responders could be identified in both breed groups, but with no difference in the proportion of high and low responders observed for either antibody-mediated immune response or cell-mediated immune response between breed groups.

Key Words: Norwegian Red • crossbreeding • immune response