Decreased colostral immunoglobulin absorption in calves with postnatal respiratory acidosis

The effect of postnatal acid-base status on the absorption of colostral immunoglobulins by calves was examined in 2 field studies. In study 1, blood pH at 2 and 4 hours after birth was related to serum IgG1 concentration 12 hours after colostrum feeding (P less than 0.05). Decreased IgG1 absorption from colostrum was associated with respiratory, rather than metabolic, acidosis, because blood PCO2 at 2 and 4 hours after birth was negatively related to IgG1 absorption (P less than 0.05), whereas serum bicarbonate concentration was not significantly related to IgG1 absorption. Acidosis was frequently observed in the 30 calves of study 1. At birth, all calves had venous PCO2 value greater than or equal to 60 mm of Hg, 20 of the calves had blood pH less than 7.20, and 8 of the calves had blood bicarbonate concentration less than 24 mEq/L. Blood pH values were considerably improved by 4 hours after birth; only 7 calves had blood pH values less than 7.20. Calves lacking risk factors for acidosis were examined in study 2, and blood pH values at 4 hours after birth ranged from 7.25 to 7.39. Blood pH was unrelated to IgG1 absorption in the calves of study 2. However, blood PCO2 was again found to be negatively related to colostral IgG1 absorption (P less than 0.005). Results indicate that postnatal respiratory acidosis in calves can adversely affect colostral immunoglobulin absorption, despite adequate colostrum intake early in the absorptive period.