Effects of fractionated colostrum replacer and vitamins A, D, and E on haptoglobin and clinical health in neonatal Holstein calves challenged with Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis

Long term dietary vitamin D3 supplementation impacts both microbicidal and inflammatory responses to ex-vivo Mycobacterium bovis BCG challenge in dairy calves

Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is associated with enhanced susceptibility to multiple respiratory diseases in humans, including tuberculosis. However, the consequences of VDD for disease susceptibility in calves are unknown. Previously we developed a model to drive divergent circulating 25OHD concentrations in cattle, where animals were supplemented with vitamin D₃ (vit D₃) from birth to 7 months of age. Calves in the control group (Ctl) received a diet containing a standard vit D₃ concentration, whereas the vit D group (VitD) received a diet with the highest vit D₃ concentration allowed under EU guidelines. Here, we assessed the microbicidal activity and immunoregulatory effect of divergent 25OHD circulating levels to Mycobacterium bovis BCG challenge ex-vivo. Blood samples from Ctl and VitD calves were taken at 1-, 3- and 7-months of age. 25OHD concentrations were significantly different at 7 months (but not at 1 or 3 months) with animals from the VitD group having higher serum levels. Differences in microbicidal activity followed the same pattern, with no significant differences observed at 1 and 3 months, but at 7 months a significant increase in the percentage of bacteria killed was detected. Furthermore, analysis of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) in serum showed a higher production of ROS and NO in VitD-supplemented calves. In contrast, serum concentrations of IL-1β and IL-8 were significantly lower. A similar anti-inflammatory profile was observed after gene expression analysis, with a significant downregulation of a cluster of genes including IL1B, IL1R1, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL5, MMP9 and COX2 and an upregulation of CXCR1, CX3CR1 and NCF1, in VitD calves after BCG challenge relative to Ctl animals. Collectively, these results suggest that dietary vit D₃ boosts antimicrobial and innate immune responses and thereby could improve host anti-mycobacterial immunity.

Low serum vitamin D concentrations in Spring-born dairy calves are associated with elevated peripheral leukocytes

A role for vitamin D in the immune system is emerging from human research but data in the bovine is limited. In the current study, 48 Holstein–Friesian calves were randomly assigned to one of 4 groups designed to expose calves to divergent vitamin D levels for a 7 month period and to determine its effects on circulating immunity in young calves. Concentrations of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) was measured in serum using a commercial ELISA with validated bovine standards. Results showed that mean circulating concentrations of 25OHD at birth was 7.64 ± 3.21 ng/ml indicating vitamin D deficiency. Neither the injection of Vit D₃ at birth nor the elevated levels in milk replacer yield discernible changes to pre-weaning circulating concentration of 25OHD. No calf reached the recommended level of vitamin D immune sufficiencyof 30 ng/ml of 25OHD until at least 3 months of age (T4). Increasing dietary Vit D₃ via ration in the post-weaning period significantly elevated 25OHD concentrations in serum in VitD-In calves. Maximal levels of circulating 25OHD were achieved in VitD-Out calves, reaching 60.86 ± 7.32 ng/ml at 5 months of age (T7). Greatest divergence in haematology profile was observed between Ctl-In vs VitD-In groups with Ctl-In calves showing an elevated count of neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils associated with reduced 25OHD concentrations. Neither IL-8 expression nor ROS production in serum were significantly different between calves with high and low 25OHD, indicating that other vitamin D-dependent mechanisms may contribute to the divergent circulating cellular profiles observed. This novel data on the vitamin D status of neonatal calves identifies a significant window of vitamin D insufficiency which is associated with significant differences in circulating immune cell profiles. Vitamin D insufficiency may therefore exacerbate pre-weaning disease susceptibility, and further work in now warranted.

Effects of Family Planning and Baby Care Behavior on Stunting in Early Married Couples

BACKGROUND: District with the highest stunting prevalence in Central Sulawesi province is Sigi District by about 43.0%. Its birthrate is 3.2 and the first marriage age is 19.9 years old. AIM: This study analyzed various relationships between family planning behaviors of early married couples with births and stunting, as well as its connection with baby care (colostrum, exclusive breastfeeding, completeness of immunization, supplementary feeding, and breastfeeding for up to 2 years old). In addition, it will describe family planning behaviors and baby care in a gender perspective as well. METHODS: The sample of this study was 40 early married couples in the last 3 years in the area of Marawola Health Center in Sigi District. Data analysis used Chi-square and Mouser to see the gender relationship gap in the choice of contraception and baby care. RESULTS: There was a relationship between family planning behavior and birth with p = 0.001, a large parity with the incidence of stunting with p = 0.002. Likewise, there was also a relationship between baby care (colostrum of p = 0.0016, exclusive breastfeeding of p = 0.003, completeness of immunization of p = 0.003, supplementary feeding of p = 0.00, and breast milk up to 2 years of p = 0.00) and the occurrence of stunting in early married couples. The idea of family planning and child care is still dominated by wives, from the stages of planning, decision making, and implementation. Gaps occur because of unbalanced power relations. CONCLUSION: Family planning behavior and baby care (colostrum, exclusive breastfeeding, completeness of immunization, supplementary feeding, and breastfeeding for up to 2 years) affect the incidence of stunting in early married couples. The use of family planning and child care is still a gender gap which is dominated by wives.

Influence of Colostrum and Vitamins A, D3, and E on Early Intestinal Colonization of Neonatal Holstein Calves Infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

Exposure of neonates to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) via infected dams is the primary mode of transmission of Johne’s disease. Little is known about the impacts of feeding colostrum and supplemental vitamins on the gut microbiome in calves exposed to MAP. In the present study, calves were assigned at birth to one of six treatment groups: (1) Colostrum deprived (CD), no vitamins; (2) colostrum replacer (CR), no vitamins; (3) CR, vitamin A; (4) CR, vitamin D₃; (5) CR, vitamin E; (6) CR, vitamins A, D₃, E, with five calves per treatment in a 14-day study. All calves were orally inoculated with MAP on days 1 and 3 of the study. Differences due to vitamin supplementation were not significant but treatment groups CR-A, CR-E, and CR-ADE had higher numbers of MAP-positive tissues overall. Shannon diversity indices demonstrated regional differences in microbial communities, primarily Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes, between the ileum, cecum, and spiral colon of all calves. CD calves exhibited increased richness compared with CR calves in the cecum and spiral colon and harbored increased Proteobacteria and decreased Bacteroidetes in the mucosa compared with the lumen for all three tissues. Overall, supplementation with vitamins did not appear to influence gut microbiome or impact MAP infection. Feeding of colostrum influenced gut microbiome and resulted in fewer incidences of dysbiosis.

Carotenoids buffer the acute phase response on fever, sickness behavior, and rapid bill color change in zebra finches

Carotenoids are finite resources that animals can allocate to self-maintenance, attractiveness, or reproduction. Here we test how carotenoids affect the acute phase response (APR), an intense rapid systemic response characterized by fever, sickness behavior, and production of acute phase proteins, which serves to reduce pathogen persistence. We conducted a 2x2 factorial design experiment in captive adult male and female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to determine the effects of carotenoid supplementation on the intensity of the APR. We measured changes in feeding rate, activity level, and body temperature of the birds. We found that, relative to unsupplemented controls, carotenoid-supplemented birds exhibited less severe reductions in feeding and activity, smaller increases in body temperature, and lower circulating levels of haptoglobin (an acute phase protein) 24 h after inducing an APR. Among supplemented individuals, those with higher blood carotenoid levels exhibited a lower reduction in activity rate after 24 h. Forty-eight hours after APR induction, birds exhibited a significant decrease in plasma carotenoid levels and a decrease in bill hue, with less reduction in hue in carotenoid-supplemented individuals. These results demonstrate that carotenoids can alleviate several important behavioral and physiological effects of an APR and that bill color can change rapidly following induction of the costly APR immune defense. In particular, immune activation may have caused birds to preferentially draw down carotenoids from the bloodstream, ostensibly for use in health. Rapid bill color changes over a 48-hr period support growing evidence that bills may serve as short-term signals of health and condition.

Gamma delta T cells are early responders to Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis in colostrum-replete Holstein calves

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and mesenteric node lymphocytes (MNL) were obtained from 30 calves that were assigned randomly at birth to 1 of 6 treatment groups with 5 calves per treatment in a 14-d study: (1) colostrum-deprived (CD), no vitamins; (2) colostrum-replacer (CR), no vitamins; (3) CR, vitamin A; (4) CR, vitamin D₃; (5) CR, vitamin E; (6) CR, vitamins A, D₃, E. Calves were injected with appropriate vitamin supplements and fed pasteurized whole milk (CD calves) or fractionated colostrum replacer (CR calves) at birth. Thereafter, all calves were fed pasteurized whole milk fortified with vitamins according to treatment group. Calves were orally inoculated with 10⁸ cfu of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) on d 1 and 3. The PBMC and MNL harvested on d 13 were analyzed by flow cytometry as fresh cells, after 3-d culture with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and after 6-d culture with a whole-cell sonicate of MAP (MPS). Peripheral γδ T cells were a predominant lymphocyte subset in neonatal calves, with a decreased percentage noted in CD calves compared with CR calves. As well, CD25 expression was higher in γδ T cells compared with other cell subsets, regardless of treatment group. Stimulation of PBMC with PHA resulted in increased CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ subsets, whereas MNL response was dominated by expansion of B-cell subpopulations. Stimulation with PHA and MPS decreased the relative abundance of PBMC γδ T cells, but MNL γδ T cells increased upon stimulation with MPS. These results identify γδ T cells as key early responders to intracellular infection in neonatal calves and suggest that colostrum may be an important mediator of this response.