Use of stored equine colostrum for the treatment of foals perceived to be at risk for failure of transfer of passive immunity

Abstract

OBJECTIVE-To assess the use of stored equine colostrum for the treatment of foals perceived to be at risk for failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI). DESIGN-Cohort study. ANIMALS-232 Thoroughbred foals and 191 Thoroughbred mares (41 mares gave birth to 1 foal on 2 occasions). PROCEDURES-Postpartum, presuckle colostrum samples were collected from mares; samples with a colostral refractive index (cRI) > or = 23% were frozen (-20 degrees C [-4 degrees F]) and stored for > or = 7 days but < 2 years. Foals of dams that produced colostrum with a cRI value < 20% were treated with > or = 300 mL of stored colostrum that was thawed and administered via nasogastric tube on 1 to 4 occasions within 6 hours after parturition. Serum samples were obtained from colostrum-treated and nontreated foals 24 hours after treatment or suckling, respectively, for determination of serum IgG (sIgG) concentration. RESULTS-8 foals and their respective dams were excluded from the analyses. For the remaining 30 treated and 194 nontreated foals, mean +/- SD sIgG concentration was 1,597 +/- 574 mg/dL. Thirteen (5.8%) foals had sIgG concentrations < 800 mg/dL, of which 1 (0.4%) had an sIgG concentration < 400 mg/dL. Nine of these foals had suckled mares producing colostrum with a cRI value > or = 20%, and 2 foals had been treated with stored colostrum. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE-Treatment with stored colostrum appeared to be effective for prevention of FTPI in at-risk foals. However, foals were still at risk for FTPI despite suckling of or treatment with colostrum with adequate cRI values.

Chemical composition and lipid profile of mare colostrum and milk of the quarter horse breed

“…The °Brix values obtained were high, in line with the high protein content of the evaluated material, since approximately 80% of the colostrum protein corresponds to immunoglobulins [ 12 ]. The analyzed colostrum samples fall within the range of 20 to 30% of the refractive index established by Nath et al [ 15 ], which classifies them as good, and represents an important factor for the passive transfer of immunity and consequently for establishing the newborn’s health.…”

Passive immunisation, an old idea revisited: Basic principles and application to modern animal production systems

“…FPT can also occur in foals with adverse consequences on infections rates, disease and mortality (McGuire et al, 1977). It is well established in horses to use plasma transfusion as well as colostrum supplementation in foals to overcome FPT (Nath et al, 2010), and other immunodeficiency diseases (Crisman and Scarratt, 2008;Tennent-Brown, 2011) (also see Table 4).…”

Avaliação da transferência passiva de anticorpos pela ingestão de colostro em equinos no Distrito Federal

“…Isso porque 50% das perdas de um criatório e redução de produtividade estão relacionadas às Falhas de Transferência de Imunidade Passiva (FTIP), evento concentrado nas primeiras horas de vida dos neonatos e sua adequada imunização via colostro materno (COHEN, 1994;GOMES et al, 2010). As FTIP elevam a ocorrência de algumas enfermidades como enterites, pneumonias bacterianas, septicemia e artrite séptica, caracterizadas por acometerem esses animais em suas primeiras três semanas de vida, causando diminuição na taxa de crescimento, perda de rendimento, podendo levar a óbito e gerar grandes perdas econômicas ao criador, considerando também os altos gastos com tratamento (NATH, ANDERSON, SAVAGE &amp;MCKINNON, 2010). Para realização do experimento, foi coletada uma amostra de sangue de cada égua genitora, totalizando dez éguas, e amostras de seus respectivos potros logo após o nascimento, às 12, 24 horas, 15 e 30 dias de vida e dosados os níveis de Proteína Totais e Frações.…”

“…As FTIP elevam a ocorrência de algumas enfermidades como enterites, pneumonias bacterianas, septicemia e artrite séptica, caracterizadas por acometerem esses animais em suas primeiras três semanas de vida, causando diminuição na taxa de crescimento, perda de rendimento, podendo levar a óbito e gerar grandes perdas econômicas ao criador, considerando também os altos gastos com tratamento (NATH, ANDERSON, SAVAGE &amp; MCKINNON, 2010).…”