TY - JOUR
T1 - Calf and dam characteristics and calf transport age affect immunoglobulin titers and hematological parameters of veal calves
AU - Marcato, F
AU - van den Brand, H
AU - Kemp, B
AU - Engel, B
AU - Schnabel, S K
AU - Jansen, C A
AU - Rutten, V P M G
AU - Koets, A P
AU - Hoorweg, F A
AU - de Vries-Reilingh, G
AU - Wulansari, A
AU - Wolthuis-Fillerup, M
AU - van Reenen, K
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was financially supported by Stichting Brancheorganisatie Kalversector (SBK, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands), ZuivelNL (the organization of the Dutch dairy sector, Den Haag, the Netherlands), and the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (Den Haag, the Netherlands). The authors gratefully acknowledge Rimondia B.V. (Elspeet, the Netherlands) for providing personnel and laboratory support and Rudie Koopmanschap, Joop Aarts, and Ilona van den Anker (Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands), and Conny van Solt and Corry Dolstra (Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, the Netherlands) for their skilled technical and laboratory assistance. The authors are also very grateful to all dairy and veal farmers who contributed to this experiment, and to Van ‘t Slot Veetransport (Elspeet, the Netherlands) for expertly transporting the calves, and to Yvonne Daandels of ZLTO (Den Bosch, the Netherlands), AERES Hogeschool Dronten (Dronten, the Netherlands), HAS Hogeschool (Den Bosch, the Netherlands), Gerald Lock, Dirk Anjema, and Harmen Kremers of Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (Lelystad, the Netherlands), and Theo van Hattum, Henk Gunnink, Joop van der Werf, Laura Arango Carmona, Amelia Florida Kiha, and Hao Ye (Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands) for their help and assistance during the experiment. Moreover, the authors acknowledge two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments to previous versions of this paper. The authors have not stated any conflicts of interest.
Funding Information:
This study was financially supported by Stichting Brancheorganisatie Kalversector (SBK, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands), ZuivelNL (the organization of the Dutch dairy sector, Den Haag, the Netherlands), and the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (Den Haag, the Netherlands). The authors gratefully acknowledge Rimondia B.V. (Elspeet, the Netherlands) for providing personal support and Rudie Koopmanschap, Joop Aarts, and Ilona van den Anker (Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands), and Conny van Solt and Corry Dolstra (Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, the Netherlands) for their skilled technical and laboratory assistance. The authors are also very grateful to all dairy and veal farmers who contributed to this experiment, and to Yvonne Daandels of ZLTO (Den Bosch, the Netherlands), AERES Hogeschool Dronten (Dronten, the Netherlands), HAS Hogeschool (Den Bosch, the Netherlands), Gerald Lock, Dirk Anjema, and Harmen Kremers of Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (Lelystad, the Netherlands), and Theo van Hattum, Henk Gunnink, Joop van der Werf, Laura Arango Carmona, Amelia Florida Kiha, and Hao Ye (Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands) for their help and assistance during the experiment. Moreover, the authors acknowledge two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments to previous versions of this paper. The authors have not stated any conflicts of interest.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 American Dairy Science Association
PY - 2022/2/1
Y1 - 2022/2/1
N2 - This study aimed to investigate effects of transport age of calves (14 vs. 28 d), and of calf and dam characteristics, on immunoglobulin titers and hematological variables of veal calves. Calves (n = 683) were transported to a veal farm at 14 or 28 d of age. Natural antibodies N-IgG, N-IgM, and N-IgA against phosphorylcholine conjugated to bovine serum albumin (PC-BSA) were measured in serum of the dams 1 wk before calving and in first colostrum. These antibodies were also measured in serum of calves 1 wk after birth, 1 d before transport, and in wk 2 and 10 posttransport at the veal farm. Hematological variables were assessed in calves 1 d before transport and in wk 2 posttransport. One day before transport, titers of N-IgG, N-IgM, N-IgA, and neutrophil counts were higher, and lymphocyte counts were lower in 14-d-old calves compared with 28-d-old calves. In wk 2 at the veal farm, calves transported at 14 d of age had higher N-IgG titers and neutrophil counts, but lower N-IgM and N-IgA titers, and lymphocyte counts than calves transported at 28 d. In wk 1 and 1 d before transport, N-Ig in calves were positively related to N-Ig in colostrum. In wk 2 and 10 at the veal farm, N-IgG in calves was positively related to N-IgG in colostrum. The N-IgG titers in calves at the dairy farm were negatively related to the likelihood of being individually treated with antibiotics or other medicines at the veal farm. Our results suggest that calves transported to the veal farm at 28 d of age showed a more advanced development of their adaptive immunity than calves transported at 14 d of age. Quality of colostrum might have long-term consequences for N-IgG titers and immunity in veal calves.
AB - This study aimed to investigate effects of transport age of calves (14 vs. 28 d), and of calf and dam characteristics, on immunoglobulin titers and hematological variables of veal calves. Calves (n = 683) were transported to a veal farm at 14 or 28 d of age. Natural antibodies N-IgG, N-IgM, and N-IgA against phosphorylcholine conjugated to bovine serum albumin (PC-BSA) were measured in serum of the dams 1 wk before calving and in first colostrum. These antibodies were also measured in serum of calves 1 wk after birth, 1 d before transport, and in wk 2 and 10 posttransport at the veal farm. Hematological variables were assessed in calves 1 d before transport and in wk 2 posttransport. One day before transport, titers of N-IgG, N-IgM, N-IgA, and neutrophil counts were higher, and lymphocyte counts were lower in 14-d-old calves compared with 28-d-old calves. In wk 2 at the veal farm, calves transported at 14 d of age had higher N-IgG titers and neutrophil counts, but lower N-IgM and N-IgA titers, and lymphocyte counts than calves transported at 28 d. In wk 1 and 1 d before transport, N-Ig in calves were positively related to N-Ig in colostrum. In wk 2 and 10 at the veal farm, N-IgG in calves was positively related to N-IgG in colostrum. The N-IgG titers in calves at the dairy farm were negatively related to the likelihood of being individually treated with antibiotics or other medicines at the veal farm. Our results suggest that calves transported to the veal farm at 28 d of age showed a more advanced development of their adaptive immunity than calves transported at 14 d of age. Quality of colostrum might have long-term consequences for N-IgG titers and immunity in veal calves.
KW - hematology
KW - immunoglobulin
KW - robustness
KW - transport age
KW - veal calf
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85119449612&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3168/jds.2021-20636
DO - 10.3168/jds.2021-20636
M3 - Article
C2 - 34802744
SN - 0022-0302
VL - 105
SP - 1432
EP - 1451
JO - Journal of Dairy Science
JF - Journal of Dairy Science
IS - 2
ER -