Dynamics of Colostral IgG, Absorption in Beef Calves After Bottle Feeding, Stomach Tubing and Dam Suckling

Abstract

Many factors can affect passive transfer of immunoglobulins, including age of calf, total mass of immunoglobulins ingested, method of ingestion, breed, environmental temperature, calf vigor and cow mothering ability. Most field studies have used 12-48 hour IgG or total protein values to evaluate immune status (e.g less than 800=inadequate, 800-1600=marginal, greater than 1600=good) and have found improved health among calves with increasing serum levels (Wittum and Perino, 1995). A few studies have found 12-24 hour immunoglobulin values to be less predictive (Barber, 1978; Rea et al., 1996). The time between birth and achievement of adequate immunoglobulin levels may affect the disease incidence, especially due to enteric organisms, even if calves eventually receive colostrum. Experimentally, calves inoculated with E. coli before receiving colostrum were found to be as susceptible to disease as colostrum-deprived calves, regardless of the amount of colostrum subsequently provided (Logan et al., 1977). Early ingestion of colostrum should give calves a better chance to resist pathogenic microbes in their environment. There is wide variation in published curves for IgG absorption over time and many studies have used dairy calves. Our objectives were to determine how quickly IgG and total protein values would rise in unstressed, beef calves in a production setting and to compare the dynamics of absorption following colostral administration via stomach tube, bottle feeder or natural suckling.