Effect of different heating times of high-, medium-, and low-quality colostrum on immunoglobulin G absorption in dairy calves

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different durations of heat treatment on passive transfer of IgG from high-, medium-and low-quality colostrum. Colostrum was collected from The Pennsylvania State University dairy herd and divided by quality (high, medium, or low) based on colostrometer measurements. Colostrum was pooled by quality to create 3 unique batches. Each batch was further divided in thirds as follows: frozen to be fed without heat treatment, heated at 60°C for 30 min, or heated at 60°C for 60 min. Colostrum samples from each treatment were collected and analyzed for standard plate count, gram-negative noncoliforms, coliforms, and total IgG concentration. Serum samples were collected from 108 Holstein calves before feeding colostrum and 24 h after birth. Blood samples were analyzed for total protein, total IgG, and hematocrit. Colostrum quality (high, medium, or low), heat treatment (unheated, 60°C for 30 min or, 60°C for 60 min), and their interaction were analyzed as fixed effects, with calf sex included as a random block effect. Colostrum IgG was different between quality groups (92.5, 59.4, and 48.1 mg/mL of IgG). Heating colostrum reduced IgG concentration compared with the control by 9% when heated for 30 min and by 12% when heated for 60 min. Colostrum heated for 60 min had a lower standard plate count than colostrum heated for 30 min or not heated (1.8, 2.0, and 3.6 log cfu/mL, respectively). Serum IgG concentration at 24 h increased as colostrum quality increased (18.0, 22.2, and 24.8 mg/mL) and tended to increase as heat treatment time increased (19.7, 20.3, and 25.0 mg/mL of IgG). Apparent efficiency of IgG absorption was greater in calves that received mediumquality colostrum compared with calves fed high-quality colostrum (38.1 and 25.0%, respectively). These results suggest an upper limit may exist to the amount of IgG absorption in a given time period and that medium-or high-quality colostrum yields similar blood IgG concentration given the same volume of intake.

Composition and Factors Affecting Quality of Bovine Colostrum: A Review

“…Godden et al [51] reported that heating of colostrum to 60 • C for 120 min was sufficient to reduce the level of viable Mycoplasma bovis, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enteritidis, and Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis below detectable limits. However, Saldana et al [18] reported that heating colostrum reduced Ig concentration compared with the control by 9% when heated for 30 min and by 12% when heated for 60 min.…”

“…Calves are born essentially agammaglobulinemic [13], and at the time of parturition, maternal Ig from the circulating pool in the blood is actively concentrated in the secretion of the mammary gland [2]. Passive transfer of immunity is essential for the short-and long-term health of dairy calves [18]. Absorption of Igfrom colostrum is time dependent, and delays in reaching the small intestine could negatively affect both the rate and amount of absorption [19].…”

Nutrition and feeding of dairy cattle

“…The process typically involves heating colostrum for 60 min at 60 C. Results indicate that the process will reduce the IgG content by 9% e12% while tending to increase the uptake of IgG by the calves. 9 These results are likely due to the removal of bacteria that can bind to the IgG thus freeing them up for absorption.…”

Eficacia de un sustituto de calostro sobre la transferencia de inmunidad pasiva en terneras

“…Según una recopilación realizada por Quigley & Dewry (1998), los valores de EAA de diferentes estudios variaron entre 8 y 88 %. Se demostró que se puede dar un tope en la EAA cuando se suple una cantidad importante de IgG en un periodo corto (Saldana et al, 2019).…”

“…El grupo de terneras que recibió solamente calostro materno presentó una EAA significativamente (p<0,05) menor a los otros dos grupos, en otras palabras, las terneras que recibieron menores cantidades de IgG tuvieron una mayor EAA. Esto ha sido demostrado por Hopkins y Quigley (1997) y Saldana et al (2019) quienes obtuvieron una mayor EAA cuando a las terneras se les ofreció calostro materno con una menor concentración de IgG. Este fenómeno puede deberse a que el calostro materno tiene una mayor concentración de sólidos, lo que puede influir en la manera en que las moléculas de IgG son absorbidas, debido a una mayor osmolaridad.…”