Immunoglobulin in Dairy Calves – Failure of Passive Transfer (FPT)
On-farm quality comparison tests evaluated whole blood kits (Midland BioProducts Inc., Boone, lA) versus plasma kits (Triple J Farms, Bellingham, WA), and their ability to assess the success or failure of the passive transfer of immunoglobulins to dairy calves following their birth. [1]
Understanding FPT
“Passive transfer of colostral immunoglobulins has long been accepted as imperative to optimal calf health” because the protein rich colostrum (primarily immunoglobulin IgG in dairy/beef cows), naturally generated by the dam prior to birth, protects calves from being predisposed to infectious diseases. Interestingly though, in the case of large domestic animals, IgG cannot be passed through the blood from the dam to fetus while it is in the uterus resulting in calves often born with an immune deficiency or agammaglobulinemia. Studies have shown this is exacerbated by the fact that calves aren’t capable of nursing enough following birth to “achieve adequate passive transfer without dramatic intervention.” This natural occurring agammaglobulinemia causes particular concern for ‘livestock producers’. [2]
The Results
Using 38 Holstein dairy cows, adequate passive transfer of IgG to newborns was tested using whole blood kits and plasma kits. Refractometer readings (measures protein concentrations in the newborn’s blood) were compared with a radial immunodiffusion (RID) assay (testing how IgG antibodies react to specific antigen) post colostrum feeding and resulted in a 100% accuracy rate for the RID kit and 95.5% accuracy rate for the whole blood kit. The conclusion was that while RID was considered the ‘gold standard’, both kits provide reliable results ‘when assessing the immune status of newborn calves’. [1]
Reference
- Harvey, Ann (2003) "A Comparison of Methods for On-Farm Determination of Failure of Passive Transfer of Immunoglobulin to Dairy Calves,"The Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 1, Article 4. Available at: http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/jur/vol1/iss1/4
- Weaver, Tyler, Hostetler (2000) “Passive Transfer of Colostral Immunoglobulins in Calves,” Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2000; 14:569-577. Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2000.tb02278.x/pdf
