Effects of weekly regrouping of prepartum dairy cows on innate immune response and antibody concentration

P. R.B. Silva, J. G.N. Moraes, L. G.D. Mendonça, A. A. Scanavez, G. Nakagawa, M. A. Ballou, B. Walcheck, D. Haines, M. I. Endres, R. C. Chebel

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18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives were to evaluate the effects of a stable prepartum grouping strategy on innate immune parameters, antibody concentration, and cortisol and haptoglobin concentrations of Jersey cows. Cows (253. ±. 3. d of gestation) were paired by gestation length and assigned randomly to the stable (all-in-all-out; AIAO) or traditional (TRD) treatment. In the AIAO treatment, groups of 44 cows were moved into a pen where they remained for 5. wk, whereas in the TRD treatment, approximately 10 cows were moved into a pen weekly to maintain stocking density (44 cows for 48 headlocks). Pens were identical in size and design and each pen received each treatment a total of 3 times (6 replicates; AIAO, n. = 259; TRD, n. = 308). A subgroup of cows (n. = 34/treatment) was selected on wk 1 of each replicate from which blood was sampled weekly from d -14 to 14 (d 0. = calving) to determine polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) phagocytosis, oxidative burst, and expression of CD18 and L-selectin, hemogram, cortisol and glucose concentrations, and haptoglobin concentration. Another subgroup of cows (n. = 40/treatment) selected on wk 1 of each replicate was treated with chicken egg ovalbumin on d -21, -7, and 7 and had blood sampled weekly from d -21 to 21 for determination of immunoglobulin G anti-ovalbumin. All cows (n. = 149) had blood sampled weekly for nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentrations from d -21 to 21. Treatment did not affect percentage of PMNL positive for phagocytosis and oxidative burst (AIAO. = 64.3. ±. 2.9 vs. TRD. = 64.3. ±. 2.9%) and intensity of phagocytosis [AIAO. = 2,910.82. ±. 405.99 vs. TRD. = 2,981.52. ±. 406.87 geometric mean fluorescence intensity (GMFI)] and oxidative burst (AIAO. = 7,667.99. ±. 678.29 vs. TRD. = 7,742.70. ±. 682.91. GMFI). Similarly, treatment did not affect the percentage of PMNL expressing CD18 (AIAO. = 96.3. ±. 0.7 vs. TRD. = 97.8. ±. 0.7%) and L-selectin (AIAO. = 44.1. ±. 2.8 vs. TRD. = 45.1. ±. 2.8%) or the intensity of expression of CD18 (AIAO. = 3,496.2. ±. 396.5 vs. TRD. = 3,598.5. ±. 396.9. GMFI) and L-selectin (AIAO. = 949.8. ±. 22.0 vs. TRD. = 940.4. ±. 22.3. GMFI). Concentration of immunoglobulin G anti-ovalbumin was not affected by treatment (AIAO. = 0.98. ±. 0.05 vs. TRD. = 0.98. ±. 0.05 OD). The percentage of leukocytes classified as granulocyte (AIAO. = 38.9. ±. 1.5 vs. TRD 38.2. ±. 1.5%) and the granulocyte:lymphocyte ratio (AIAO. = 0.75. ±. 0.04 vs. TRD. = 0.75. ±. 0.04) were not affected by treatment. Concentrations of cortisol (AIAO. = 14.95. ±. 1.73 vs. TRD. = 18.07. ±. 1.73. ng/mL), glucose (AIAO. = 57.6. ±. 1.5 vs. TRD. = 60.0. ±. 1.5. ng/mL), and haptoglobin (AIAO. = 3.09. ±. 0.48 vs. TRD. = 3.51. ±. 0.49 OD) were not affected by treatment. According to the current experiment, a stable prepartum grouping strategy does not improve innate immune parameters or antibody concentration compared with weekly prepartum regrouping.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)7649-7657
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Dairy Science
Volume96
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2013

Keywords

  • Dairy cow
  • Immune response
  • Regrouping

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