The Nutritive Value of Colostrum for the Calf

IM-133N - A Useful Herbal Combination for Eradicating Disease-triggering Pathogens in Mice via Immunotherapeutic Mechanisms

Objectives:

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the immunomodulatory (IM) activity of IM-133N, a herbal combination in various immunotherapeutic experimental models.

Methods:

The IM activity of IM-133N was evaluated against three experimental models namely, effect of IM- 133N against Escherichia coli (E. coli)-induced abdominal sepsis in mice, and carbon clearance test was performed in Wistar albino rats to evaluated the phagocytic potential of IM-133N, in addition IM-133N was evaluated for its immunoglobulin enhancing potential in rats, where the immunoglobulin levels were measured by zinc sulphate turbity (ZST) test. Further, IM-133N was subjected for detailed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS analysis to identify the probable active constituents present in it.

Results:

The findings of the present study has demonstrated very promising IM property of IM-133N in all the experimental models. Briefly, pretreatment with IM-133N at 125, 250, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg, p.o. doses had protected the mice against E. coli-induced abdominal sepsis and mortality, further the effect of IM- 133N was found to be significant and dose-dependent. In support of this, in another study administration of IM-133N showed a significant and dose-dependent increase in serum immunoglobulin levels, estimated by ZST test. In line with the above findings, in the carbon clearance test the low doses (125 and 250 mg/ kg, p.o.) of IM-133N increased the rate of carbon clearance, whereas the higher doses (500 and 1,000 mg/kg, p.o.) did not sustain the response, and saturation effect was considered as one of the possible reason for futility of higher doses for IM-133N. In addition, A detailed LC-MS/MS analysis of IM-133N showed 17 bioactive phytochemical constituents: namely, apigenin, chaulmoogric acid, mesquitol, quercetin, symphoxanthone, salireposide, β-sitosterol, nonaeicosanol, β-amyrin, betulic acid, oleanolic acid, symplososide, symponoside, symploveroside, symplocomoside, symconoside A and locoracemoside B.

Conclusion:

These findings suggest that IM-133N possesses significant IM activity and, hence, could be useful for eradicating opportunistic disease-triggering pathogens via immunotherapeutic mechanisms. The findings also suggest IM-133N may also useful in other immunity disorders.

Absorption of immunoglobulin from colostrum in newborn calves

One hundred and forty-one calves, belonging to three different breeds, were each given one single feeding of a variable amount of colostrum from their dams at the age of 2, 6, 10, 14 or 20 hr, respectively.

The increase in serum Ig concentration during the first 24 hr after colostrum feeding (Δ Ig % 24) was a function of the mass of Ig fed to the calf, the age at colostrum feeding, and the birth weight of the calf. Among these three factors the mass of Ig and the age of the calf were the two predominant factors. The absorption coefficient, expressing the absorbed fraction of a given amount of Ig, was primarily determined by the age of the calf at first feeding. Thus the absorption coefficient was reduced linearly to about half by delaying the feeding from 2 to 20 hr. Except for a negative effect of increasing amounts of colostrum in one of the breeds, no other factors were detected as responsible for variation in the efficiency of Ig absorption. Thus, the absorption coefficient appeared to be unaffected by the Ig % in the colostrum and also by the quantity of Ig given to the calf.

Section B. Bacteriology and mycology applied to dairying

It is now some 6 years since the appearance in this series of a Review of Bacteriology and Mycology applied to Dairying (1) with sections on milk control, detergents and disinfectants, and pasteurization. Nearly 12 years have elapsed since a complete Review (2) including all the sections listed above was published in theJournal of Dairy Research; some attempt has been made to deal with the more important work going back to these Reviews.

Gastrointestinal Function

This chapter describes the normal biochemical processes of intestinal secretion, digestion, and absorption. The digestive system is composed of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, or the alimentary canal, salivary glands, the liver, and the exocrine pancreas. The principal functions of the gastrointestinal tract are to digest and absorb ingested nutrients, and to excrete waste products of digestion. Most nutrients are ingested in a form that is either too complex for absorption or insoluble, and therefore, indigestible or incapable of being digested. Within the GI tract, much of these substances are solubilized and further degraded enzymatically to simple molecules, sufficiently small in size, and in a form that permits absorption across the mucosal epithelium. This chapter explains in detail the mechanisms of salivary secretions, compositions of saliva, and the functions of saliva. The chapter also elaborates properties of bile as well as the synthesis of bile acids. The chapter explores the pathogenesis of the important gastrointestinal diseases of domestic animals, and the biochemical basis for their diagnosis and treatment. The chapter concludes with a discussion on disturbances of gastrointestinal function such as vomition, acute diarrheas, malabsorption, bacterial overgrowth, and ulcerative colitis.

Individual variation in the composition of colostrum and absorption of colostral antibodies by the precolostral buffalo calf

The total protein and Ig content in the first colostrum was higher in buffalo cows than in dairy crossbred cows. Individual variation in Ig content of first colostrum may be responsible for differences in susceptibility of calves to infections. The decline in Ig content during subsequent milkings was faster in dairy crossbred cows. The major class was IgG in both species. Absorption of colostral proteins and Ig was 14.0 g (68%) and 4.6 g (75.4%), respectively, within 1 h of feeding colostrum to a 7-h-old female buffalo calf. Absorption was decreased to 2.1 and .83 g/h after the first feeding, suggesting that the intestinal absorption of macromolecules declined 1 h after the first feeding. Marginal placental transfer of maternal Ig also was demonstrated in buffalo. An albuminlike protein was predominant in blood plasma of the precolostral buffalo calf. This protein decreased, and IgG in blood plasma increased, after colostrum was fed, indicating that albuminlike protein may be involved in the transfer of maternal nutrients to the fetus.

Immunoglobulin production and transport by the mammary gland

In origin immunoglobulins in mammary secretions are both humoral, arising from the blood stream, and local, arising from production by plasmacytes in the mammary gland. The relative importance of each of these sources varies between species. In some species (human, rabbit, etc.), the transfer of maternal immunoglobulins to the blood stream of the neonate occurs in utero across the placenta or yolk sac membrane. In other species, including ruminants, transfer of maternal immunoglobulins to the neonate occurs exclusively via the colostrum. Both in utero and colostral routes of transfer are operative in other species. The concentration and class of immunoglobulins in the colostrum and milk of a species reflect the route and origin of the immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulins transferred in quantity in utero or via the colostrum are mainly of the IgG class. Immunoglobulins locally produced by plasmacytes located adjacent to the secretory epithelium and in the mammary secretions are largely of the IgA and IgM classes. The bovine transfers large amounts of IgG immunoglobulins, and IgG1 in particular, from the blood stream across the mammary barrier into colostrum (and milk) by a specific transport mechanism. Bovine colostrum and milk also contain much smaller amounts of locally produced IgA and IgM.

Gastrointestinal Function

This chapter discusses the functions of gastrointestinal tract. The principal functions of the gastrointestinal tract are assimilation of nutrients and excretion of the waste products of digestion. Within the gastrointestinal tract, these substances are solubilized and degraded enzymatically to simple molecules, sufficiently small in size and in a form that permits absorption across the mucosal epithelium. The distribution of the different types of secretory cells in the salivary glands varies among species. The mandibular and sublingual glands are mixed salivary glands containing both mucous and serous types of cells, and produce a viscous secretion that contains large amounts of mucus. The cytoplasm of the secretory cells contains numerous zymogen granules that vary in size and number depending on the activity of the gland. These granules contain the precursors of the hydrolytic enzymes responsible for digestion of the major dietary components. The cells of the terminal ducts probably secrete the bicarbonate ion responsible for neutralizing hydrochloric acid that enters the duodenum from the stomach.

Concurrent studies on the flow of digesta in the duodenum and of exocrine pancreatic secretion of calves. The collection of the exocrine pancreatic secretion from a duodenal cannula

1. Two surgical techniques were developed in the calf to study the role of pancreatic secretion in digestion. The secretion was collected through a cannula placed in a small sac of duodenum into which the pancreatic duct drained. The continuity of the duodenum was re-established in the first technique by duodenal re-entrant cannulas, and in the second technique by end-to-end anastomosis of the duodenum with a cannula placed cranial to the anastomosis to return the pancreatic secretion. The accessory pancreatic duct was ligated.

2. The flows of digesta through the duodenum of milk-fed calves were 5505, 6369 and 7709 ml/12 h at 7, 24 and 63 d of age respectively, similar to values reported previously in the literature. In a 12 h collection period 297, 441 and 602 ml pancreatic fluid were secreted by calves of 7, 24 and 63 d of age respectively. The secretion from the mucosa of the duodenal sac was 40 ml/12 h in two other calves.

3. The rate of secretion from the pancreas varied markedly in milk-fed calves, being lowest 2–3 h and highest 6–10 h after feeding. Changes in the concentration of chloride and bicarbonate with pancreatic secretion rate were indicative of a secretin stimulus to secretion.

4. The rates of inactivation of pancreatic enzymes collected from the duodenal sac were measured at 4°, 20° and 39°.

EFFECT OF MEDICATION WITH ANTIBIOTICS AND MATURE BOVINE PLASMA ON MORTALITY, MORBIDITY, RATE OF GROWTH AND SERUM IMMUNOGLOBULINS OF HOLSTEIN CALVES

Nine of 18 Holstein calves, approximately one week of age, purchased at local auction, died when antibiotic therapy was withheld. Eighteen others receiving antibiotic therapy survived. Intravenous infusion of 250 ml of fresh bovine plasma within 24 hours of purchase resulted in improved viability in a third group of 18, but 500 ml infused intravenously in a fourth group of 18 resulted in viability little different from the group receiving no therapy. Calves given antibiotic treatment were more uniform in growth rate and efficiency of ration utilization than surviving calves on the other three treatments; in addition, they were more efficient than calves receiving no therapy. Serum "immunoglobulin" concentration at time of purchase was unrelated to subsequent mortality. However, mortality rate appeared to be inversely related chronologically to the general decrease and subsequent increase in serum "immunoglobulins".

Electrophoretic and immunological studies on sera from calves from birth to weaning. II. Electrophoretic and serological studies with special reference to the normal and induced agglutinins to Trichomonas foetus

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