Effect of supranutritional maternal and colostral selenium supplementation on passive absorption of immunoglobulin G in selenium-replete dairy calves.
Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for ruminant animals affecting both performance and immune functions. Adding 3 mg of Se/L (in the form of Na selenite) to colostrum has been shown to improve IgG absorption in Se-deficient newborn dairy calves. The objective of our study was to determine the effect of supranutritional maternal and colostral Se supplementation on IgG status of Se-replete dairy calves. The study design was a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. During the last 8 wk before calving, dairy cows at a commercial dairy were fed either 0 (control cows) or 105 mg of Se-yeast once weekly (supranutritional Se-yeast-supplemented cows), in addition to Na selenite at 0.3 mg of Se/kg of DM in their ration. After birth, calves were fed pooled colostrum from control or supranutritional Se-yeast-supplemented cows to which 0 or 3 mg of Se/L (in the form of Na selenite) was added. Concentrations of whole-blood (WB) Se and serum Se measured at birth and at 48 h and 14 d of age, and serum IgG concentrations measured at 48 h and 14 and 60 d of age were determined. Calves born to Se-yeast-supplemented cows had higher WB-Se and serum-Se concentrations for the first 2 wk, and higher IgG absorption efficiency (62% at 48 h), resulting in higher serum-IgG concentrations (43% at 48 h and 65% at 14 d) and higher total serum-IgG content (50% at 48 h and 75% at 14 d), compared with calves born to control cows. Calves that received colostrum with added Na selenite had higher WB-Se concentrations for the first 2 wk, but only at 14 d of age were serum-Se concentrations, serum-IgG concentrations (53% higher), and total serum-IgG content (56% higher) higher, compared with calves that were fed colostrum without added Na selenite. Calves born to Se-yeast-supplemented cows that received colostrum from Se-yeast cows without added Na selenite had a higher IgG absorption efficiency compared with all other treatment groups. Our results support that feeding cows supranutritional Se-yeast supplement during the dry period or spiking colostrum with Na selenite both improve IgG status of Se-replete calves.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331. Electronic address: Jean.Hall@oregonstate.edu.
Jean A
JA
Hall
Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331; Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331.
Gerd
G
Bobe
Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331.
William R
WR
Vorachek
Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331; Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331.
Charles T
CT
Estill
Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331.
Wayne D
WD
Mosher
Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331.
Gene J
GJ
Pirelli
Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331.
Mike
M
Gamroth
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D003126:Colostrum / Q000276:immunology*; D003612:Dairying; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018038:Sodium Selenite / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015002:Yeast, Dried / Q000737:chemistry*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018977:Micronutrients; D018038:Sodium Selenite
blood and colostral Se; dairy calf; immunoglobulin G; inorganic sodium selenite; organic Se-yeast