Post-natal transition of serum biochemical profiles in calves of adequate and inadequate passive immunity status

Adequate amount of colostrum intake increase serum IgG concentration after birth and its level of 10 mg/ml is an indicator to sufficient passive immunity transfer in neonatal calves. Present study aimed at comparative assessment of changes in serum biochemical profiles of calves having adequate and inadequate levels of passive immunity after colostrum intake. Total 65 calves were divided into two groups i.e. failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) calves had <10 mg/ml of serum IgG and adequate transfer of passive immunity (ATPI) calves had >10 mg/ml of serum IgG level. The incidence of FTPI rate was 26.15% in this study. FTPI calves had significantly (p<0.05) lower serum total protein (STP) concentration (4.13±0.05 g/dl vs. 4.31±0.04 g/dl) and lower serum albumin level (2.48±0.04 g/dl vs. 2.61±0.02 g/dl) compared to ATPI calves at ‘0’ hr i.e. before colostrum intake. At initial age, ATPI and FTPI calves had similar serum globulin concentration and albumin: globulin (A:G) ratio. At 48 hr after colostrum intake, STP and globulin concentration were also significantly lesser in FTPI (5.10±0.07 g/dl and 3.54±0.10 g/dl) than ATPI calves (6.26±0.11 g/dl and 4.06±0.13 g/dl). The A: G ratio was higher in FTPI (p<0.05) as compare to ATPI calves at 48 hr age. From 0 hr to 48 hr of age STP level increased by 47% in ATPI calves, that was significantly (p<0.05) higher in comparison to FTPI calves (21.79%). In ATPI calves, increment of globulin from 0 hr to 48 hr age was 2.54±0.12 g/dl, significantly higher than that of FTPI calves (1.57±0.09 g/dl). Glucose, Urea and BUN did not vary significantly between ATPI and FTPI calves before colostrum intake, whereas glucose level significantly increased in ATPI at 48 hr compared to FTPI calves. The study concluded that to avoid the incidence of FTPI, calves serum IgG level must increase by at least 9 folds during 0 to 48 hr of age and attainment of passive immunity levels after colostrum feeding had direct impacts on post-natal transition of biochemical and metabolic profiles in crossbred Jersey calves.