The influence of colostral immunoglobulin concentration in heifer calves’ serum on their health and growth

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine factors affecting passive transfer in heifer calves born within 1 yr and how passive transfer influences rearing to the period of first insemination under commercial dairy farm conditions. Calves were divided into 4 groups based on serum immunoglobulin concentrations at 30 to 60 h of life (<5, 5-10, 10-15, and >15 g/L, respectively in groups 1 to 4). Calving ease, dam parity, calf body weight at birth, calf vitality, quality of colostrum, time and volume of first colostrum fed, morbidity rate and intensity of illness, growth rate, and age and efficiency of first insemination service were recorded. Plasma fibrinogen, and serum γ-globulin, IgG(1), IgG(2), IgM, and haptoglobin were estimated at 30 to 60 h and again at 21 to 28 d of life. Additionally, the immunoglobulin index (I(Ig3-4)) was calculated. The main cause of FPT and PFPT in the calves was poor vitality associated with dystocia and low volume of ingested colostrum. The calves born to primiparous cows were more endangered than those born to multiparous cows. The morbidity and intensity of disease course were lowest in heifer calves with serum Ig concentration exceeding 10 g/L at 30 to 60 h of life; these calves did not become ill before d 14 of life. Calves with >15 g/L γ-globulin in serum avoided respiratory tract infections. The immunoglobulin index was lowest (0.61) in calves from group 4 and highest in calves from groups 1 and 2 (1.44 and 0.88, respectively). The suitability of this index as well as haptoglobin determination was confirmed in prediction of morbidity risk and disease intensity in growing heifer calves. Heifers with serum γ-globulin levels >10 g/L at 30 to 60 h of life showed better health status and reached body weights allowing first insemination sooner.

Electronic feeding behavioural data as indicators of health status in dairy calves

“…Net energy consumption was different between calves on the H, M and L planes of nutrition during the pre-BRD period (P < concentrate does not appear to augment immune function in dairy calves. Passive transfer of maternal immunoglobulin is important in determining the subsequent health and level of morbidity in the pre-weaned calf (Donovan et al, 1998;Dewell et al, 2006;Godden, 2008;Berge et al, 2009;Furman-Fratczak et al, 2011;Lorenz et al, 2011;Murray et al, 2014). However, consistent with other studies (Sivula et al, 1996b;Virtala et al, 1996), the level of maternally derived serum immunoglobulin (measured by the ZST test) did not affect the likelihood of a calf developing BRD during the pre-weaning period in this study.…”

Risk factors for diarrhea in a cohort of dairy heifer calves reared in individual outdoor hutches in Piraí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…Additionally, a higher incidence of disease (81.8%) was reported in calves with failure to absorb colostrum than in calves with optimal absorption (26.7%) (FURMAN-FRATCZAK et al, 2011). In the present study, failure to transfer passive immunity did not remain significantly associated with diarrhea incidence when controlling for other factors, which was also observed by Windeyer et al (2014).…”

“…Morbidity and mortality due to respiratory and intestinal infections in calves are attributed to a failure to transfer passive immunity (BOYD, 1972;FURMAN-FRATCZAK et al, 2011;TENNANT et al, 1979). Although failure to transfer passive immunity is considered a risk factor for calf health by some authors (FURMAN-FRATCZAK et al, 2011;SVENSSON et al, 2003;WINDEYER et al, 2014), there are others controversial research findings (PIMENTA-OLIVEIRA et al, 2011;SIVULA et al, 1996).…”

“…Although failure to transfer passive immunity is considered a risk factor for calf health by some authors (FURMAN-FRATCZAK et al, 2011;SVENSSON et al, 2003;WINDEYER et al, 2014), there are others controversial research findings (PIMENTA-OLIVEIRA et al, 2011;SIVULA et al, 1996).…”

Análise descritiva da diarreia em uma coorte de bezerras criadas em sistema de casinhas até cem dias de idade, Município de Piraí, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

“…As taxas de morbidade e de mortalidade nas infecções respiratórias e intestinais em animais jovens são maiores nos que não absorveram quantidade adequada de imunoglobulinas, seja por ingestão insuficiente de colostro, por falha na absorção intestinal de imunoglobulinas ou baixa concentração de imunoglobulinas no colostro (BOYD, 1972;TENNANT et al, 1979;FURMAN-FRATCZAK;RZASA;STEFANIAK, 2011).…”