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Effect of Formic Acid Treatment on Colostrum Quality and on Absorption and Function of Immunoglobulins: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Holstein Dairy Calves
Smith, B.I., Cady, S.V., Aceto., H...
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Objectives
Good quality colostrum is characterized by high immunoglobulin levels and low pathogen load. Techniques to decrease pathogens can damage immunoglobulins, potentially reducing both absorption and function. Objectives were to determine the effect of formic acid treatment on colostral bacterial and immunoglobulin (IgG) levels before feeding, and serum immunoglobulin levels and neutralizing capabilities after feeding of either untreated or acidified colostrum.
Materials and Methods
Fifteen female Holstein calf pairs born < 12 h apart from different dams were randomly assigned to receive four liters of either untreated pooled (both dams) colostrum or the same pooled colostrum acidified to pH 4.0- 4.5 with 10% formic acid. Colostrum characteristics including pH, bacterial load, immunoglobulin concentration and neutralizing capability were evaluated in both untreated and acidified samples. Blood samples were collected from each heifer pair on day 1 pre-colostrum followed by day 3 post-colostrum and then monthly for 6 months. Blood was analyzed for immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations and neutralizing capabilities against viral Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR), Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) Type-1 and Type-2 and five serovars of bacterial Leptospira. Data were analyzed using STATA 17 (Stata Corp, College Station, TX, United States). A parametric t-test or non-parametric Kruskall Wallis test (which makes no assumptions about data distributions) were used to examine associations between feeding of untreated or acidified colostrum and outcome variables. Because many outcomes were below the detection limit of various assays, tobit regression was also used to censor those values and evaluate significance. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results
Birth weights among calf pairs were not significantly different. Compared to untreated colostrum (mean = 6.7, standard deviation [SD] 0.4, median 6.8, range 6.0-7.3) acidification significantly reduced colostrum pH (mean = 4.3, SD 0.3, median 4.3, range 4.0-4.5) P < 0.001. Total coliform count was also significantly reduced (untreated mean cfu/ ml = 149, SD 444, range, median 1, range 0-1,700; acidified mean cfu/ml = 8, SD 31, median 0, range 0-120; P = 0.02). Colostrum IgG levels were not significantly different between untreated (mean 93.3 g/L, SD 39.7; median 92.80, range 36.7- 164.4) and post-acidified colostrum (mean 101.9 g/L, SD 36.7; median 108.3, range 33.8-164.4; P = 0.54). There were no significant differences between untreated and acidified colostrum neutralizing titers for IBR, BVDV1, or BVDV2. Except for one calf in the untreated group, IgG levels on day 1 pre-colostrum were all less than 10 mg/dL. At 3 days of age, total protein levels in calves fed untreated colostrum (mean = 6.5 mg/dL, SD 0.4, range 5.4-7.0) and those receiving acidified colostrum (mean = 6.3 mg/dL, SD 0.7, range 5.2-7.6) were not significantly different, P = 0.38. Peak IgG levels occurred on day 3 (untreated mean = 26.1 g/L, SD 34.9, median 169.2, range 8.3-151.0; acidified mean = 30.2 g/L, SD 48.7, median 188.8, range 3.1-204.4; P = 0.77). Apparent efficiency of IgG absorption was not different between groups (untreated mean 24.3%, SD 11.4, median 25.3, range 8.6–51.3; acidified mean 22.6%, SD 21.7, median 21.6, range 4.1-58.9; P = 0.65). Thereafter, IgG levels slowly declined over the subsequent 6 months, but they were never significantly different between groups. Over the same period, maternal antibody titers against IBR, BVDV1, BVDV2, and Leptospira canicola, L. hardjo, and L. pomona were not different. Titers against L. grippotyphosa and L. icterohaemorrhagiae were unmeasurable in the majority of calves and the data were not analyzed.
Conclusions
Colostrum acidification significantly decreased bacterial load fed to newborn calves without affecting IgG concentration or virus neutralization. Nor did acid treatment impact serum IgG levels in calves or activity against common pathogens.
Keywords: Randomized Controlled Trial, Acidified Colostrum, Pathogen Load, Immunoactivity
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