scholarly journals Comparison of the reliability of snap foal Ig test, Gamma-Check E test, refractometry and electrophoresis for determining the immune status of newborn foals in the first hours of life

2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 573-586
Author(s):  
Luca Laura Kummer ◽  
Jan Govaere ◽  
Borisz Egri

Twenty-eight warmblood mares were monitored during their late pregnancy in the Teaching Hospital of Ghent University. The reliability of two commercial assays (enzyme immunoassay and glutaraldehyde coagulation test) used for determining the IgG concentrations of their newborn foals was tested. Mammary secretions were examined at the time of foaling (T0), and then 4 (T1) and 8 (T2) hours after foaling by refractometry and electrophoresis. The foals’ blood IgG levels were measured at T1 and T2 as a routine clinical diagnostic examination using two different commercial test kits (SNAP Foal Ig and Gamma-Check E) and T0, T1 and T2 samples were stored (at −18 °C) for immunoglobulin (Ig) determination by electrophoresis. Differences between the results of refractometry and electrophoresis occurred in 27.8% of the colostrum analyses. Some serum IgG could be detected immediately post partum (T0) in 75% of the foals, and 42.82% of the newborn foals acquired a serum concentration of more than 800 mg/dl IgG within 8 h of birth. Compared to the electrophoresis, the glutaraldehyde test scored better (85%) than the enzyme immunoassay (74%), although both are accurate and safe to use since they clearly distinguish between safe and unsafe IgG concentrations.

2004 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 493-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. F. Crosby ◽  
T. M. Boland ◽  
P. O. Brophy ◽  
P. J. Quinn ◽  
J. J. Callan ◽  
...  

AbstractTwo experiments were carried out to quantify the intake of mineral blocks by ewes in group- and individually fed situations, and to examine the effects of mineral block intake on food and water intake, colostrum production and lambs' immunoglobulin G (IgG) absorption when ewes are individually housed and offered maize or grass silage with a concentrate supplement. In experiment 1, mineral blocks were offered to 359 ewes either when grazing at mating time (no. = 200) or, when indoors in the last 4 or 7 weeks of pregnancy, the latter as either twin-bearing ewes that were group-fed (no. = 18) or individually fed (no. = 27) or single-bearing ewes that were group-fed (no. = 114). Block intake was measured on a weekly basis. In experiment 2,a2X2 X 2 factorial design was used to compare the effects of forage (grass or maize silage), restricted mineral block access and added minerals/vitamins in the concentrate on food and water intakes, colostrum production and immunoglobulin absorption by the lamb using 64 twin- bearing ewes that were individually housed. Grass silage and maize silage were offered ad libitum, concentrates were offered at a flat rate of 400 g per head per day. Mineral blocks were offered to ewes for 3 h/day. Following lambing, the ewes were hand milked at 1,10 and 18 h post partum. Colostrum samples were assayed for immunoglobulin G (IgG) content. Lambs were blood sampled at 24 h old to determine serum IgG value. In experiment 1, mean daily mineral block intake per ewe was lowest at mating time (19 g) and highest when ewes were individually housed (194 g). In experiment 2, intakes of dry matter(DM) and energy were higher (F < 0.05) in the maize silage treatments. Similarly, when ewes had access to mineral blocks they had higher (P < 0.05) intakes of DM, energy and protein in addition to having a higher water intake (2.24 v. 0.771 per ewe per day; s.e. 0.139; P < 0.01). The mean total colostrum yield to 18 h post lambing at 1734 ±98.0 ml was unaffected by any of the treatments. When ewes had access to mineral blocks their lambs had lower (6.8 v. 18.8; s.e. 1.48; P < 0.01) serum IgG values and the efficiency of IgG absorption from the colostrum into the blood stream was reduced (0.097 v. 0.247; s.e. 0.0214; P < 0.01). In conclusion, the data show that there is wide variation in mineral block intake in different situations and that intake of some minerals can exceed toxic values. Additionally, when individually fed pregnant ewes have access to blocks for just 3 h/day, there is a significant increase in water intake and a dramatic reduction in lamb serum IgG concentration and in the efficiency of absorption of colostral IgG into the blood. We suggest that while mineral blocks can confer advantages in specific situations, there is the need to revisit their formulation and to further research the mode of action responsible for the compromised IgG absorption.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 207-208
Author(s):  
Julia M Dafoe ◽  
Samuel Wyffels ◽  
Cory T Parsons ◽  
Boone Carter ◽  
Timothy DelCurto ◽  
...  

Abstract Our study was conducted to evaluate the influence of cow age and supplement intake level during gestation on the quality of colostrum at calving, serum IgG levels of the cow at parturition, and serum IgG levels of the calf 3 days post-partum using two on-farm refractometer methods. Forty-five non-lactating multiparous Angus cows were selected from a contemporary group of 300 cows winter grazing northern mixed grass prairie rangelands with free choice protein supplement. Specifically, 15 first service bred cows were selected for each of the following treatment groups: 1) low supplement intake (&gt; -0.75 SD); 2) average supplement intake (± 0.50 SD); 3) high supplement intake (&gt; +0.75 SD). Supplement intakes were measured using 8 feeding stations in a SmartFeed Pro self-feeder system (C-Lock Inc., Rapid City, SD) and measurements were obtained from d 164 to 215 of gestation. Cows were further divided by age comparing young (4, 5, and 6 yr) to old (7 and 8 yr). Cow age did not interact with supplement intake for any of the colostrum or blood serum measurements (P ≥ 0.29). In addition, cow age and supplement intake did not influence colostrum Brix %, calf serum total protein taken 3 d post-partum or cow serum total protein taken at birth (P ≥ 0.14). The optical refractometer was found to be a good alternative to the more expensive digital refractometer. When regressing values of the two techniques, they were observed to be correlated (P &lt; 0.01; R = .96). In summary, cow age and supplement intake levels of mature cows during the mid to late stages of gestation did not influence colostrum quality at birth. The lack of colostrum quality differences was likely due to the moderate to good condition of the cows and adequate nutrition 90 d prior to parturition.


1973 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. H. McClelland ◽  
T. J. Forbes

SUMMARYSixty Scottish Blackface ewes were used in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment in which two levels of metabolizable energy (ME) were given during the final 6 weeks of pregnancy. In two treatments 1600 and 2000 kcal M E were given daily over the total period while in the remaining treatments daily ME intakes were 1200 and 1600 kcal ME during the first 3 weeks of the feeding period and 2000 and 2400 kcal ME during the last 3 weeks. Digestible crude protein (DCP) intakes were constant at approximately 30 g per head daily in the constant energy treatments and 15 and 45 g per head daily in the first and second periods respectively for the low-high energy treatments.Energy intake had no statistically significant effect on lamb birth weight nor on ewe net body-weight change (change from the start of the experimental feeding period to immediately post partum). Ewes on low-high energy intakes had a significantly lower net body-weight loss than did ewes on constant energy intakes. Pattern of feeding had no significant effect on lamb birth weights. Negative nitrogen balances were found during the first feeding period where the daily DCP intake was approximately 15 g per head.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1933
Author(s):  
Esther Jiménez ◽  
Susana Manzano ◽  
Dietmar Schlembach ◽  
Krzysztof Arciszewski ◽  
Rocio Martin ◽  
...  

Mastitis is considered one of the main reasons for unwanted breastfeeding cessation. This study aimed to investigate the preventive effect of the probiotic strain Ligilactobacillus salivarius PS2 on the occurrence of mastitis in lactating women. In this multicountry, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 328 women were assigned to the probiotic or the placebo group. The intervention started from the 35th week of pregnancy until week 12 post-partum. The primary outcome was the incidence (hazard) rate of mastitis, defined as the presence of at least two of the following symptoms: breast pain, breast erythema, breast engorgement not relieved by breastfeeding, and temperature > 38 °C. The probability of being free of mastitis during the study was higher in the probiotic than in the placebo group (p = 0.022, Kaplan–Meier log rank test) with 9 mastitis cases (6%) vs. 20 mastitis cases (14%), respectively. The hazard ratio of the incidence of mastitis between both study groups was 0.41 (0.190–0.915; p = 0.029), indicating that women in the probiotic group were 58% less likely to experience mastitis. In conclusion, supplementation of L. salivarius PS2 during late pregnancy and early lactation was safe and effective in preventing mastitis, which is one of the main barriers for continuing breastfeeding.


Author(s):  
Alok Mishra ◽  
A.K. Verma ◽  
Asit Das ◽  
Putan Singh ◽  
V.K. Munde

Background: Dietary supplementation of methyl donors like vitamins B9, B12, choline and betaine have been reported to reduce oxidative stress not only in sows but can also reduce oxidative stress in offspring through epigenetic modulation of DNA. However, cell proliferation and fetal development and oxidative stress associated with it is not uniform during the whole length of gestation. Hence this experiment was conducted to study the effects of maternal betaine supplementation on growth, plane of nutrition and antioxidant profile of progeny pigs.Methods: Eighteen crossbred (Landrace X Desi) sows were randomly distributed into three groups of six each in an experiment based on completely randomized design (CRD). The sows in control (T0) were fed standard ration to meet their requirements. Supplementary betaine at 3 g/kg DM were provided either during late pregnancy (d 76 onwards till parturition) only or throughout the length of gestation to the sows of groups T1 and T2, respectively. The samples of feed offered, residue and faeces were analyzed for proximate principles following the standard procedures. Blood samples from the progeny piglets were collected and antioxidant status of the piglets assessed by the measurement of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) by using standard kits.Result: The serum concentration of SOD was comparable (p greater than 0.05) among the groups, whereas serum concentration of catalase was higher (p less than 0.05) in piglets born to the dam exposed to supplementary beanie during gestation, the best response was observed whilst betaine was supplemented in the maternal diets during the whole length of gestation It was concluded that supplementation of betaine at 3g/kg in the diet of pregnant sows improved the antioxidant capacity of piglets borne to them.


1963 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 344-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Linton ◽  
B. P. Goplen ◽  
J. M. Bell ◽  
L. B. Jaques

In one experiment 3 steers, 4 bull calves and 4 wether lambs were orally administered 2 milligrams dicoumarol per kilogram body weight and blood-clotting time measurements were made over a 4-day period. All animals responded to the dicoumarol but differences were evident between sheep and cattle; sheep were apparently more tolerant of the drug.The ’one-stage prothrombin’ test was more reliable and sensitive than the clotting tests employed for factor VII, factor X and prothrombin concentration.In a second experiment, 16 ewes in late pregnancy were fed rations containing 0 to 30 p.p.m. of synthetic dicoumarol and vitamin K3 as a cross treatment. Evidence of abnormal clotting power of ewe blood was observed in ewes fed diets containing 10 p.p.m. of dicoumarol. There was some indication of cumulative effects at this level after 32 days on test. At intake levels of 20 and 30 p.p.m. clotting times were affected more markedly and some ewes exhibited extended bleeding times after 2 to 4 weeks on test. No unusual hemorrhaging occurred at parturition. In general, the lambs’ blood did not reflect the pre- or post-partum dicoumarol intake of their mothers but a few lambs, as in the case of the ewes, exhibited low tolerance for dicoumarol without showing much disturbance in terms of clotting time. A large single oral dose of menadione sodium bisulphite demonstrated the effectiveness of vitamin K3 as an antidote. However, vitamin K3 as a ration supplement at 12 milligrams per pound feed failed to protect ewes against the effects of dicoumarol.


1995 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanda Akico Ueda Fick de Souza ◽  
Laura Masami Sumita ◽  
Mary Eiko S. Otsubo ◽  
Kioko Takei ◽  
Cláudio Sérgio Pannuti

A simple method of rubella antigen production by treatment with sodium desoxycholate for use in enzyme immunoassay (IMT-ELISA) is presented. When this assay was compared with a commercial test (Enzygnost-Rubella, Behring), in the study of 108 sera and 118 filter paper blood samples, 96.9% (219/226) overall agreement and correlation coefficient of 0.90 between absorbances were observed. Seven samples showed discordant results, negative by the commercial kit and positive by our test. Four of those 7 samples were available, being 3 positive by HI.


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