Influence of Administered Indigenous Microorganisms on Uptake of [Iodine-125] γ-Globulin In Vivo by Intestinal Segments of Neonatal Calves

Abstract

Ten calves less than 14 h of age (average 8.6 h) were anaesthetized, and the intestine was ligated into segments 10 cm in length at 3-cm intervals beginning 1.8 m anterior of the ileocecal junction and proceeding proximally. Seven treatments were assigned in random order to segments in three successive sections of the small intestine. Segments received 1 ml of viable bacteria of intestinal origin, autoclaved bacteria of intestinal origin, or sterile microbiological broth at zero time; then after 4 h they were injected with iodine-125 labeled gamma-globulin. After an additional 1.5 h, the experiment was ended and uptake assayed. Two treatments measured anaerobic microbial growth after 4 h incubation with 1 ml of either sterile broth or live bacteria culture. Residual [iodine-125] gamma-globulin was measured in segments receiving 1 ml of sterile broth or live bacteria culture with 5.5-h incubation followed by 15-s exposure to labeled gamma-globulin. Uptake was lowest in segments receiving live bacteria as compared to segments receiving sterile inocula. Number of bacteria per gram of tissue was correlated negatively with uptake. Low corticosteroids in serum were associated with low uptake of gamma-globulin.

Acquisition of passive immunity in domestic ungulates

“…The bacterial quality of the intestinal content is also important. Inoculation of the digestive tract with intestinal bacteria can limit absorption (James et al, 1981). A similar type of result was observed by Bush et al (1982), who showed that pasteurisation of colostrum slightly improved absorption, however this was not confirmed by Grongnet et al (1996).…”

“…However, if a pharmacological treatment is not used to alter Cortisol levels, it is not usually possible to show a relationship between Cortisol around birth and the absorption of Ig in both the lamb (Cabello and Levieux, 1981a, b) and the calf (Cabello and Levieux, 1978;Stott and Reinhard, 1978). James et al (1981) however, showed in the latter species that low circulating corticosteroid levels were associated with a low level of uptake of Ig by the intestine.…”

Questionnaire identifying management practices surrounding calving on spring-calving dairy farms and their associations with herd size and herd expansion

“…Keeping stored supplies is a good alternative; early storage of colostrum post-collection (86% of respondents) minimizes bacterial growth, which is thought to affect the rate of passive transfer in the calf (James et al, 1981;Godden, 2008). For the same reason, the duration of colostrum storage is also important when storing colostrum above 0°C, particularly at room temperature (17% of respondents), or in a refrigerator (4% of respondents) as longer storage durations result in significantly altered bacteria and pH levels (Stewart et al, 2005).…”

A survey of dairy calf management practices in some producing regions in Brazil

“…With relation to the cow, factors can be linked to the calving number, breed, volume of colostrum produced, extension of the dry period, and presence of mastitis, all of which can influence this transfer (Robison et al, 1988;Machado Neto et al, 1995). The newborn, on the other hand, should have the ability to consume and to absorb the colostrum constituents in adequate amounts (James et al, 1983;Losinger and Heinrichs, 1995), which is reduced over time after birth.…”