Immune Response and Some Blood Constituents of Calves Produced From Primi- and Multi-Parous Friesian Cows Fed Yeast Culture

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of dairy cows with yeast culture (YC) on immune transfer to their calves during first days after birth and on some blood constituents of calves from birth to 15 wk of age. Total of 15 Friesian cows (weighing 500-520 kg and 2-4 parities) and 15 Friesian heifers (weighing 400-420 kg) at late pregnancy (3 mo pre-partum) were used in this study. All experimental animals were randomly allocated in randomized design to three experimental groups (n=10, 5 cows and 5 heifers in each), fed on the same diet. Animals in 1 st group were without treatment, while those in the second (T2) and third (T3) groups were orally administrated with 20 and 40 g/h commercial yeast culture (Thepax) for 90 days pre-partum and 90 days post-partum. After parturition, newborn calves were fed on colostrums of their dams, and then suckled milk up to weaning (105 d of age). Blood samples were collected from all newborn calves at first, second and third day after birth, then at 4, 8, 12 and 15 weeks of age. Hematological parameters including count of red (RBCs) and white (WBCs) blood cells, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and packed cell volume (PCV) were determined in the whole blood. Concentration of total proteins (TP), albumin (AL), globulin (GL), total lipids (TL), cholesterol (CH), glucose (GLU), creatinine (CR), and thyroid hormone (T 3 ) as well as AST and ALT activities were determined in blood serum. Results showed insignificant effect of dam parity (cows and heifers) on count of WBCs, Hb concentration and PCV value in the whole blood, serum concentration of immunoglobulines (IgG, IgM and IgA), TP, AL, GL, GLU, CR and T 3 , and ALT activity in serum of calves. Concentration of TL and CH, and AST activity were higher, while count of RBCs was lower (P<0.05) in calves of heifers than in those of cows. Concentrations of IgG, IgM and IgA were higher (P<0.05) in calves of T3 than in T1 by 32, 81 and 112%, respectively. Count of RBCs, Hb concentration and PCV value, and concentration of TP, AL and GL (P<0.05) and WBCs (P≥0.05) were higher in calves of T3 than in those of T1 and T2. Calves of T3 showed the highest (P<0.05) concentration of TL, CH and GLU and the lowest CR concentration and AST and ALT activity (P<0.05). Concentration of T 3 was lower (P<0.05) in T2 and T3 than in T1. Concentration of IgG, IgM and IgA in serum and WBCs count of calves decreased (P≥0.05) on the 3 rd day after birth. Count of RBCs, Hb concentration and PCV value increased (P<0.05) by advancing post-calving week. Only, TP, AL, TL, CH, GLU, CR and T 3 concentrations and activity of AST and ALT showed different trends of changes by advancing postcalving week (P<0.05).In conclusion, pre-and post-partum yeast culture treatment at a level of 40 g/h/day for heifers and cows is able to enhance their newborn immunity response and improve calf performance with good health status, which allow for raising good male calves of breeding or female calves of milk production.

Improving the Immune and Health Status and Blood Constituents of Egyptian Buffaloes and their Offspring in Response to Treating Dams with Selenomethionine and Levamisole

“…Also, Amer and Badr (2008) concluded that buffalo-cows immunostimulated with levamisole had the greatest levels of IgA and IgG in colostrum compared with non-stimulated buffalo-cows. Our findings were supported by Murphy et al (2005) and Wafa (2017), who indicated that the amount of all immunoglobulin (Ig) fractions in colostrum of buffalo-cows depend mainly upon pre-partum administration of immunepotentiators to dams.…”

“…The observed increase in immunoglobulins, IgA, IgM and IgG concentrations in plasma of calves from dams with different treatments was mainly related to enhanced levels of immunoglobulins in colostrum of their dams, particularly those treated with Se-Met+LEV together (Table 4). Similar trend was reported by Murphy et al (2005) and Wafa (2017). Jezek et al (2012) found that quality of colostrum was positively correlated with the levels of IgM, IgA and IgG in the calves' serum in the first week and with the IgG in the fourth week of life.…”

“…Organic form of selenium (like selenomethionine) is natural, stable, better absorbed and metabolized, and lesser side and residual effects as compared to inorganic from (like sodium selenite, Cao et al, 2014), as well as, selenomethionine uses as a source of selenium and methionine, which is necessary for protein synthesis (Espinosa et al, 2015). Serum immunoglobulin is an important part of humoral immune system of vertebrates as reported by Wafa (2017). Gilles et al (2009) demonstrated that selenium and iodine administration to cows during pre-calving enhanced (P<0.05) the calf immune system defenses by improving the maternal mineral status.…”

Impact of Buffalo Dams Treatment With Probiotics on Growth Performance, Immune Responses and Blood Components of Their New Born Calves

“…However, some authors found that YC supplementation of primiparous and multiparous Friesian cows had no significant effect on calf birth weight (Mostafa et al, 2014). The obtained results in this study indicated heavier birth weight calves in all groups of dams treated with YC, LB or their combination than in the group fed with the control diet, which may be attributed to the improvement in overall health status and weight of their dams (Wafa, 2017). In this way, the concentration of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, and IgM) increased in calf blood plasma or their dams colostrum of treatment groups as compared to control, being the highest in calf plasma and colostrum in G4 (YC + LB).The observed significant drop (P<0.05) in IgG level in colostrum on the 2nd day reflected insignificant (P<0.05) reduction in calf plasma IgG on the 3rd day.…”

“…Lactobacillus acidophilus is one of the dominant lactobacilli in the human intestine was widely used as probiotic cultures (Oh et al, 2000). In the literature, several reports indicated positive impact of probiotic cultures on performance and production of cattle, in terms of improving feed intake (Ayad et al, 2013), feed efficiency, growth performance (Lascano et al, 2009), nutrient digestibility coefficients (Wohlt et al, 1991), blood hematology (Agazzi et al, 2014) absorption of some minerals (Cole et al, 1992), metabolic health (Dolezal et al, 2012), mucosal immune system function, and levels of immunoglobulin (Heinrichs et al, 2009), when yeast culture was fed to cattle as well as performance of their calves at birth and during the suckling period (Wafa, 2017). However, some authors found that YC supplementation of primiparous and multiparous Friesian cows had no significant effect on calf birth weight (Mostafa et al, 2014).…”