Possible factors influencing immunoglobulin A concentration in swine colostrum

The immunoglobulin (Ig) A concentration in swine colostrum was determined by the single radial immunodiffusion method, using 157 samples collected from the same number of farm-raised sows in the Yamaguchi Prefecture of Japan during 1976 and 1977. The mean IgA value was 12.26 +/- 3.30 mg/ml, and the maximum and minimum values were 28.14 mg/ml and 5.63 mg/ml, respectively. To determine factors influencing the IgA concentration in swine colostrum, the following items were analyzed in the present study: season, district, breed, number of parturitions, udder section from which samples were collected, kind of feed, vaccinations of swine (erysipelas live-organism vaccine, hog cholera live-virus vaccine, Japanese encephalitis live-virus vaccine, and transmissible gastroenteritis live-virus vaccine), type of farming, and number of sows raised on a farm. Relationships between the IgA concentration in swine colostrum and each of these 12 items were analyzed. Of the 12 items, breed and number of parturitions were the most influential on the IgA concentration in colostra of farm-raised sows. Season, district, and vaccination with transmissible gastroenteritis live-virus vaccine were moderately influential. Udder section, kind of feed, vaccinations of swine (erysipelas live-organism vaccine, hog cholera live-virus vaccine, and Japanese encephalitis live-virus vaccine), type of farming, and number of farm-raised sows were slightly influential. The multiple correlation coefficient obtained was 0.5887 (P greater than 0.05).