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Impact of total and pathogen-specific serum immunoglobulin G concentrations on the health and growth of western Canadian beef calves
Gamsjäger, L., Haines, D.M., Pajor...
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Neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD) and bovine respiratory disease (BRD) are the most common calfhood diseases in beef calves worldwide. Vaccination of pregnant dams against specific NCD- and BRD-associated pathogens and good colostrum management have the potential to increase the transfer of those pathogen-specific antibodies to the calf via colostrum and thus protect against disease during early life. However, little is known about the associations of pathogen-specific antibody concentrations and the risk of disease and mortality, as well as the impact of such antibody concentrations on pre-weaning growth in beef calves raised under current production conditions in western Canada. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of total and pathogen-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations on the odds of pre-weaning treatments and mortality, and on average daily gain (ADG). A total of 420 serum samples from 1 - 7 day old beef calves born on 6 farms in Alberta, Canada, were collected. Samples were analyzed by radial immunodiffusion assay for total IgG concentration and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for pathogen-specific IgG concentrations against Escherichia coli (E. coli), bovine Rotavirus (BRoV), Cryptosporidium parvum (C. parvum), Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 (PI-3), Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV), and Bovine Herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1). Data regarding pre-weaning treatments, mortality, and birth and weaning weights were collected. Multivariable multilevel logistic and linear regression models were built to evaluate associations between total and pathogen-specific IgG concentrations and the odds of pre-weaning mortality and ADG, respectively. Farm was included as a random effect in all models to account for clustering at the herd level. The impact of IgG concentrations on the odds of pre-weaning treatment was established by univariable logistic regression analysis. Receiving colostrum intervention (i.e., being fed colostrum or colostrum product by either bottle or tube) significantly increased the odds of mortality (OR: 7.4, 95% CI: 1.7-31.6). Calves with FTPI and ITPI were more likely to die (OR: 18.5, 95% CI: 3.7-93.4 and OR: 10.1, 95% CI: 2.6-40.2, respectively), calves with FTPI were more likely to receive treatment (OR 7.9, 95% CI 2.7-23.7), and calves with ITPI had lower ADG (-0.09 kg, SE: 0.03, P < 0.002). Calves that were treated in the pre-weaning period showed lower E. coli and BRoV-specific IgG concentrations at birth (P < 0.0001), and BRoV-specific IgG concentrations were lower in calves that died in the pre-weaning period (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95-0.99). These results suggest a protective effect of E. coli and BRoV-specific antibodies and highlight the importance of increasing their transfer from dam to calf. Interestingly, neither being treated pre-weaning nor any of the pathogen-specific IgG concentrations were associated with ADG. This study highlights the need to review and refine protocols with respect to colostrum management on cow-calf operations to decrease pre-weaning treatments, calf losses and improve pre-weaning growth.
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