Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026
Protocol for Assessing the Relative Effects of Environment and Genetics on Antler and Body Growth for a Long-lived Cervid
Published on: August 8, 2017
Effect of nutritional conditions on changes in leukocyte populations in Japanese black calves
Hiromichi Ohtsuka1, Narumi Fukunaga, Shigeo Fukuda
1Veterinary Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori 034-8628, Japan.
Abstract:
To clarify the effect of nutritive conditions on changes in immune cells in Japanese Black (JB) calves during the growth period, leukocyte populations were analyzed in ten healthy JB calves managed in one herd. The calves were divided into two groups: five calves in Group 1 were given insufficient nutrition, and the other five calves in Group 2 received adequate nutrition. The levels of serum total cholesterol and glucose were significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 2 at 1 month. The numbers of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells tended to be lower in Group 1 than in Group 2 at months 1 and 2, and the difference in CD4+ was significant at month 2. The number of MHC class-II(+high) cells was significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 2 at months 1 and 2. These results suggest that adequate nutrition might stimulate an increase in immune cells in calves during the growth period.
