Evaluation of Different Methods to Estimate the Transfer of Immunity in Donkey Foals Fed with Colostrum of Good IgG Quality: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

The aims of the present study were to evaluate the correlation between IgG Serum Radial Immunodiffusion (SRID), Electrophoresis Gamma Globulins (EGG), Electrophoresis Total Protein (ETP) and the serum total protein (TP) analyzed by refractometry and by a dry chemistry analyzer (Biuret) and to estimate serum IgG concentrations using serum TP. A total of 36 samples collected at four different times (birth, 6, 12, 24 hours after birth) from nine Amiata donkey foals were evaluated with SRID, EGG, ETP, serum TP Biuret and refractometry. SRID IgG concentration increased significantly over time until T12. Serum TP analyzed with refractometry, electrophoresis and Biuret showed a statistically significant difference between T0 and T6 vs T12 and T24. A good or strong correlation was found between different tests performed. Equations to quantify serum IgG were created and can be used for estimating the donkey foals’ serum IgG in the first day of life. Serum TP refractometry showed a high correlation with SRID IgG (0.91) which may be a particularly useful and economic instrument to estimate the transfer of immunity in donkey foals during the first day of life. Further studies evaluating a high number of animals are needed in order to set specific cut-off values.

Current Diagnostic Methods for Assessing Transfer of Passive Immunity in Calves and Possible Improvements: A Literature Review

“…The method involving these molecules has a higher accuracy for IgG evaluation (89%) [6] than RID. Previous studies, using serum samples from foals [57] and donkey foals [58], compared RID with electrophoresis. A total of 360 serum samples from 60 foals within 6 to 24 h of life were analyzed [57] and showed a good agreement between IgG concentrations using RID and gamma globulin concentrations using electrophoresis (Bland-Altman systemic bias: −1.9 g/L; 95% CI −2.4-−1.5).…”

“…A total of 360 serum samples from 60 foals within 6 to 24 h of life were analyzed [57] and showed a good agreement between IgG concentrations using RID and gamma globulin concentrations using electrophoresis (Bland-Altman systemic bias: −1.9 g/L; 95% CI −2.4-−1.5). Turini et al [58] analyzed serum samples at 0, 6, 12, and 24 h of life for nine donkey foals, and observed a strong significant correlation between serum IgG using RID and STP by electrophoresis (r = 0.87; p < 0.0001) and a good significant correlation between serum IgG by RID and serum gamma globulin by electrophoresis (r = 0.56; p-value between 0.01 and 0.001).…”

Serum Biochemistry Parameters of the Endangered Miranda’s Donkey Breed: Reference Intervals and the Influence of Gender and Age

“…This enables the assessment of the health status of individual animals or an entire herd, the determination of the severity and systemic effects of a disease, and the evaluation of treatment response [ 18 , 19 , 20 ]. A lack of well-defined biochemical reference ranges has been noted by researchers studying donkeys [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ] and other autochthonous breeds [ 24 , 25 ]. To address the absence of specific information, veterinarians have traditionally relied on reference intervals (RI) from horses when interpreting results for donkeys due to their perceived similarities.…”

Immunity transfer in mule foals fed with good IgG quality colostrum

“…Less used tests for assessing the transfer of passive immunity are the serum electrophoresis (ETP) which is still rapid, and results are not affected by operators but its feasibility in field conditions is low [ 18 , 19 ]; and refractometry. Despite colostrum and serum evaluation with refractometry is probably the largest method used in dairy farms for colostrum quality and passive transfer of immunity assessment [ 20 , 21 ], its implementation in foals has been limited [ 11 , 22 ].…”

“…Despite colostrum and serum evaluation with refractometry is probably the largest method used in dairy farms for colostrum quality and passive transfer of immunity assessment [ 20 , 21 ], its implementation in foals has been limited [ 11 , 22 ]. Passive transfer of immunity can also be indirectly evaluated counting the amount of serum total protein (TP) which are mainly composed by immunoglobulins around birth [ 19 , 22 ]. Serum TP can be assessed with a refractometry or with an automated chemistry analyzer; this technique is unaffected by plasma lipids (lipoproteins, cholesterol), glucose, and urea present in serum, but cannot be used in the field and is very expensive [ 22 ].…”