Active Immunity and Failure of Passive
Transfer
AnS 536
Emily Davis
Outline
Review: neonatal immunity, colostrum
importance, IgG, FPT
 Testing colostrum
 Management of colostrum
 Active vs. Passive Immunity

Neonatal Immunity

Human placenta transports IgG from maternal to
fetal circulation
– Babies born with IgG concentration approximately 89%
of adult values

No transport of immunoglobulins across placenta in
farm animals
– Offspring born with essentially no circulating IgG
– Colostrum provides IgG after birth
– Placental type of cows
Colostrum and its Role

First time neonate will receive antibodies from mother
 Stomach is porous at birth to allow absorption
 Absorption at max for first six hours post birth
 Can acquire antibodies for up to 24 hours, but transfer
hindered

Without adequate intake of colostrum, newborn will
have less productive life
 Higher risk of morbidity, mortality, decreased growth
rates and first lactation milk production in dairy calves
(Fidler, et al. 2007)
Colostrum Components

Immune factors
 Immunoglobulins, cytokines, lysozymes, glycoproteins

Growth factors
 IGF-1, IGF-2, epithelial growth factor

Nutritional components
 Vitamins, minerals, amino acids

Antibodies
 IgG
 IgA
 IgM
Failure of Passive Transfer (FPT)

Low IgG levels greatly increase risk for death
and disease
– 40% of calves classified as FPT (<10 g IgG/L)
– Colostrum-deprived calves 50-74 times more
likely to die before 3 weeks of age
– FPT calves are more than twice as likely to get
sick as non-FPT calves

NAHMS estimates suggest 22% of all calf
deaths could be prevented by better
colostrum management
Failure of Passive Transfer
Low IgG levels in colostrum
 Decreased amount of colostrum
 Timing/route of ingestion
 Maternal vs. pooled vs. replacer

Changing Absorption of IgG

Difructose anhydride III
– Indigestible disaccharide which promotes
absorption of calcium and magnesium in
intestines
– Improves absorption of IgG in newborns
Feed colostrum in one feeding
 Heat treated colostrum

– Decreases microbial count while maintaining IgG
levels
Changing Absorption of IgG

Use of colostrum replacers
– Colostrum replacers (CR) had less transfer of
passive immunity when compared to colostrum
(Fidler, et al. 2011)
– However, the more CR the calves received, the
better the transfer

Feeding sodium bicarbonate
– NaHCO3 can increase IgG concentration up to a
point (Cabral, et al. 2011)
Ig Deficiencies

Hypogammaglobulinemia
– Lack or decrease of one or more types of
antibodies
– Fetuses that don’t receive antibodies through the
placenta fall into this category

IgG deficiencies
– More susceptible to infections such as
pneumonia, bronchitis and others
– Often occurs when there’s also a deficiency in
IgA or IgM
– Cause unknown but has possible genetic ties
Testing Colostrum

Quality
– <20-100mg/mL
– Colostrometer- room temperature

Quantity
– By weight of calf
– 5-6% of body weight per feeding
Timing/Route of Ingestion
Immediately after birth is optimal
 Decreases after 4-6 hours
 Route depends on management

– Bottle vs. Tube vs. Suckling
– Bacteria on or around dam
Efficiency of Ig absorption
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
4
8
12
16
20
24
Time (hours) relative to birth
Management Styles
46% of calves left to suckle on dam did not
drink
 61%, 19%, 10% FPT rates from suckling,
bottle, and tube (Weaver et al 2000)
 Maternal vs pooled
 Dystocia

Replacer vs. Maternal

FPT rates by Smith et. al in 2007
– Maternal 28%
– Replacer 93%

Separate study
– Maternal–5%
– 2 bags CR-95%
– 3 bags CR-76%
Colostrum Management

Pooled (Beam et al 2009)
– FPT rates were 2.2x higher on pooled farms
– Must account for management practices
• Measuring IgG concentrations
• Feed or chill in timely manner
• Proper sanitation of utensils
• Timing of colostrum feeding + route
Longevity of Calves

Overall FPT decreases value
– Decreased weaning weights
– Decreased health (increased cost)
– Decreased performance
– Decreased first lactation yield
– Increase in being culled after 1st lactation
Endogenous IgG Production

IgG, IgM, and IgA concentrations begin to
increase within a few days after birth in
colostrum deprived calves
– In calves- IgM does not begin until 4 days, is not
functional until 8 days after birth
– All reach appreciable levels for neonates by 32
days

Half-life for IgG is antibody dependent
– 23-39 d in foals
– 16-50 d in calves
Active vs. Passive Immunity

Passive
– Direct transfer of antibodies actively formed by another
person or animal
– “Borrowed” immunity
• Transfer of IgG from the mother to fetus across the placenta
during gestation
• Ingestion of colostrum transfers IgA
– Antibodies are usually broken down before one month of
age
• Antibody-synthesizing ability does not develop before one month
of age
Active vs. Passive Immunity

Active
– The production of antibodies as a result of
exposure to an antigen
• Natural exposure
• Artificially acquired
– Vaccines contain modified antigens that initiate an immune
response without causing the disease
– Initial response produces memory T lymphocytes or B
lymphocytes
B Cell Overview
T Cell Overview
Macrophage
Natural Killer Cells
Neutrophil
Cell Mediated Response

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tBOmG
0QMbA
IgG Production by the Calf
(Active Immunity)

Not enough of a response to be effective in
preventing disease
– T- and B-cells less functional for first few months after
birth
– Poor response to vaccinations for first few months

Also need to consider that maternal antibodies
(from colostrum) will inhibit response to calfhood
vaccines
– Maternal antibodies can stay in the calf until around 2
months
– Immune system isn’t matured until at least 5 months
Active Immunity

Increased susceptibility through 40 days of
life
– Decreased phagocytes

Active immunity can take 2-4 weeks to
become present and can keep growing up
until puberty
Vaccines

Limited for calves after birth
– Maternal antibodies still present

Maternal vaccinations pre-partum (Dudek et
al 2014)
– Challenged calves with respiratory infections
– Mothers were vaccinated in one group
– Calves from vaccinated mothers were protected
• Stimulated the immune system- was activated
Vaccines

Maternal vaccinations (Cortese 2009)
– E. Coli, rotavirus, coronavirus
– All showed effective transfer through colostrum
to calf and moderated diarrhea when challenged

Consider with calf vaccinations
– Immune status of calf- colostrum program quality
– Specific antigen
– Presentation of the antigen
Cortese 2009
Questions?
References
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