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ARS Home » Plains Area » Mandan, North Dakota » Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #190956
Title: IMMUNE RESPONSE AND SERUM IMMUNOGLOBULIN G CONCENTRATIONS IN BEEF CALVES SUCKLING COWS OF DIFFERING BODY CONDITIONS SCORE AT PARTURITION AND SUPPLEMENTED WITH HIGH-LINOLEATE OR HIGH-OLEATE SAFFLOWER SEEDS

Author
item LAKE, S. - UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
item Scholljegerdes, Eric
item SMALL, W. - UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
item BELDEN, E. - UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
item PAISLEY, S. - UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
item RULE, D. - UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
item HESS, B. - UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/7/2005
Publication Date: 4/1/2006
Citation: Lake, S.L., Scholljegerdes, E.J., Small, W.T., Belden, E.L., Paisley, S.I., Rule, D.C., Hess, B.W. 2006. Immune response and serum immunoglobulin g concentrations in beef calves suckling cows of differing body conditions score at parturition and supplemented with high-linoleate or high-oleate safflower seeds. J. Anim. Sci. 84:997-1003.

Interpretive Summary: Previous work has demonstrated that certain fatty acids may play a role in immunological function. Furthermore, it has also been shown that calves born from cows in poor body condition may have poor immune function. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of maternal lipid supplementation on the immune response in suckling calves. In Exp. 1, beef cows were fed Foxtail millet hay and a low-fat (control) supplement or a supplement containing cracked, high-linoleate safflower seed. The linoleate diet was formulated to contain 5% of dry matter intake as fat. Calves were subjected to an immune challenge at day 21 and again at day 35 of age. To measure the total serum antibody production in response to the antigen, blood samples were collected from the calves every 7 days from day 14 to 42. Calves from linoleate-supplemented cows had a decrease in total antibody production and appeared to have a delayed response to the immune challenge. In Exp. 2, beef cows that were nutritionally managed to achieve either a thin or ideal body condition in order to determine the effects of prepartum energy balance and postpartum lipid supplementation on the passive transfer of immunoglobulins and the immune response by their calves. Cows were fed hay and a low-fat control supplement or supplements consisting of either cracked, high-linoleate or high-oleate safflower seeds. Safflower seed supplements were formulated to provide 5% of dry matter intake as fat. Therefore, maternal prepartum nutrient restriction appears to influence neonatal calf immunoglobulin absorption. The decrease in immunoglobulin absorption of calves from nutrient-restricted cows did not appear to be associated with intestinal absorptive capabilities of the calf, but rather appeared to be due to alterations in the colostrum. Although maternal dietary lipid supplementation did not affect long-term immune response to ovalbumin, influencing immune function during the critical early stages of life may decrease productivity of the calf throughout its lifecycle. Beef cattle producers should be aware of potential effects of maternal supplementation on calf immune status. Results from the current study suggest that maternal body condition score at parturition did not affect passive transfer of immunoglobulins or immune responses in calves.

Technical Abstract: Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of maternal lipid supplementation on the immune response to antigenic challenge in suckling calves. In Exp. 1, beginning 1 d postpartum, 18 primiparous crossbred beef cows were fed Foxtail millet hay and a low-fat (control) supplement or a supplement containing cracked, high-linoleate safflower seed in individual feeding stanchions until d 40 of lactation. The diets were formulated to provide similar quantities of N and TDN, and the linoleate diet was formulated to contain 5% of DMI as fat. Calves were injected s.c. with 15 mg of antigen (ovalbumin) at d 21 and again at d 35 of age. To measure the total serum antibody production in response to the antigen, blood samples were collected from the calves every 7 d via jugular venipuncture from d 14 to 42. Calves from linoleate-supplemented cows had a decrease (P = 0.04) in total antibody production in response to ovalbumin and appeared to have a delayed response to antigen challenge. Total antibody production increased (P < 0.001) after secondary exposure to ovalbumin. In Exp. 2, 36 Angus × Gelbvieh beef cows that were nutritionally managed to achieve a BCS of 4 or 6 at parturition were used to determine the effects of prepartum energy balance and postpartum lipid supplementation on the passive transfer of immunoglobulins and the immune response to antigenic challenge in their calves. Beginning at 3 d postpartum and continuing until d 60 of lactation, cows were fed hay and a low-fat control supplement or supplements consisting of either cracked, high-linoleate or high-oleate safflower seeds. Safflower seed supplements were formulated to provide 5% of DMI as fat. Calves were injected s.c. with 15 mg of ovalbumin at 21 d of age and again at 48 d of age. The antibody responses were determined in serum; cell-mediated immunity was assessed by intradermal antigen injection at 60 d of age. A trend was noted (P = 0.10) for calves suckling control-supplemented cows to have a greater response to antigen compared with calves from linoleate- and oleate-supplemented cows; however, no difference was observed among treatments (P = 0.86) in cell mediated immune response. Postpartum oilseed supplementation in beef cows appears to decrease antibody production in response to antigenic challenge in suckling calves. However, BCS at parturition did not influence passive transfer of immunoglobulins in neonatal calves.