Hemoconcentration differs in neonatal dairy calves: Considerations for assessment of transfer of passive immunity

Assessing transfer of passive immunity (TPI) is a critical management strategy to evaluate colostrum management and feeding; however, variability in hemoconcentration or serum or plasma volume in calves might influence TPI assessment. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe the variability in hemoconcentration as well as TPI in Holstein calves in New York State and (2) describe the effect of adjusting total protein (TP) for the degree of hemoconcentration by applying a sample average proportion of plasma in blood (PP) on TPI assessment. Records of TP and PP from 703 Holstein calves 1 to 9 d of age from 19 commercial dairy farms were analyzed. The PP was determined by centrifugation of microhematocrit tubes and serum and plasma TP was determined by digital refractometry. Transfer of passive immunity was categorized using unadjusted TP (uTP) as excellent = ≥6.2, good = 5.8-6.1, fair = 5.1-5.7, and poor <5.1 g/dL. Individual calf TP concentrations were adjusted to the sample average PP and TPI categories were reassessed using the adjusted TP value (aTP). The sample mean ± SD (range) PP was 68.8% ± 5.8% (50.5% to 86.0%). The PP was lower on d 1 compared with d 7 of age. Using uTP to categorize TPI, 22 (3.1%) calves had poor, 113 (16.2%) calves had fair, 164 (23.6%) calves had good, and 397 (57.1%) calves had excellent TPI, respectively. After adjusting TP for hemoconcentration, TPI determined using aTP resulted in 52 (7.5%, +4.4 percentage points) calves in poor, 137 (19.7%, +3.5 percentage points) calves in fair, 122 (17.5%, -6.1 percentage points) calves in good, and 385 (55.3%, -1.8 percentage points) calves in excellent. The mean (range) proportion of calves with TPI determined using uTP by farm was 3.9% (0% to 16%) for poor, 19.0% (2% to 36%) for fair, 25.3% (10% to 42%) for good, 51.8% (26% to 83%) for excellent. When categorized using aTP, the proportion of calves by farm was 8.1% (0% to 21%) in poor, 20.5% (8% to 42%) in fair, 19.1% (6% to 33%) in good, and 52.4% (27% to 83%) in excellent TPI. In conclusion, PP was variable in calves during the time of TPI assessment and this variability should be considered when assessing TPI at the calf- or herd level.