Evidence Supporting the Mechanisms of Enteric Protection Provided by Colostral Whey Fed Supplements

Abstract

With the increasing public concern over the use of antibiotics in the production of meat and dairy animals, we decided to examine bovine colostral whey as a source of safe, effective biological agents to control enteric pathogens and promote the growth of neonatal and weaning animals. Colostral whey, its antibody rich and/or antibody poor fractions were found to have bactericidal activity against 0157 E.coli and bacteriostatic activity against a wide range of enteropathogenic bacteria. These same colostral whey preparations did not inhibit the growth of non-pathogenic strains tested. The colostral whey preparations inhibited cytotoxic activity of Shiga-like toxin, the infection of cultured cells with enteric viruses and exhibited some anabolic activity on cultured cells. In an in vivo experiment with gnotobiotic animals, the colostral whey reduced the severity of an experimental infection and partly blocked the induction of systemic immunosuppression. We feel these effects were mediated by inhibition of the growth of the challenge E. coli and inhibition of the action of the Shiga-like toxin, which appears to be involved in the development of the immunosuppression. These studies suggest that colostral components may be good candidates for biological replacements of antibiotics as supplements to young animals.