Immunoglobulin concentrations in serum in response to injectable immunoglobulin in neonatal dairy calves

Thirty Holstein bull calves were used to investigate the use of an injectable solution of purified Ig to increase Ig in serum of neonatal calves. The Ig were from abbatoir blood purified by column chromatography. Calves were blocked by date of birth and assigned randomly to treatment within block. Treatments were s.c. injections of Ig solution (30 or 60 mg of Ig/ml) or .9% NaCl with or without colostrum (41.1 g of IgG/L) feeding. Calves were injected by 24 h of age. The mass of Ig injected was 1.05 g/kg of BW. Calves received 2 L of pooled colostrum or commercial milk replacer at 0, 12, 24, and 36 h. Blood was sampled at 0 and 48 h postinjection and at 28 d of age, and serum was analyzed for IgG and IgM by radial immunodiffusion. Mean IgG and IgM in serum of calves injected with Ig were 4.2 and .7 g/L, respectively, and were higher than in calves receiving no Ig. Mean IgG (14.6 g/L) and IgM (1.0 g/L) concentrations in serum of calves fed colostrum were higher than in other calves. Subcutaneous Ig provided moderate amounts Ig in serum.