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H. C. Rivers, L. A. Flatow, 112 Natural Antibody Profiles during Early to Mid-Lactation in Jersey Cows, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 95, Issue suppl_1, December 2016, Page 55, https://doi.org/10.2527/ssasas2017.0112
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Abstract
Suppression of the immune system can occur during lactation in dairy cattle as the animal's resources are allocated to producing high quantities of milk instead of maintaining other physiological processes. The first half of lactation, which includes the onset of and peak lactation, results in major physiological stress on the dairy cow which leads to this immunosuppression. Natural antibodies (NAb) can be one of the body's first lines of defense against invading pathogens, but if suppressed, leave the animal more vulnerable to infection. The purpose of this study was to profile (NAb) concentrations from early to mid-lactation in Jersey cattle to determine any time points when this first line of defense may be suppressed. Coccygeal venipuncture was performed to collect serum from Jersey cows (n = 24) starting on the day of calving and continuing weekly for 20 wk (140 d). NAb titers for isotypes IgM, IgG, IgG1, and IgG2 binding keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data was analyzed using two way repeated measures ANOVA with parity (primiparous vs. multiparous) and week as variables. There was a parity by week interaction for IgM (P = 0.009) and IgG2 (P < 0.001) isotypes, but parity alone had no effect on NAb titers for any of the isotypes. Differences in NAb titers across the 20 wk were significantly different for all isotypes (P < 0.001). This data identifies time points during the first half of a lactation cycle where cows may become more susceptible to infections. Additional studies are needed to use this information to improve herd health during lactation.
