Changes in serum immunoglobulin concentrations of young calves.

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Abstract
The changes in the serum immunoglobulin concentration were investigated in 23 calves from birth to 13 weeks of age. These calves were allowed to suckle from their dams during the first week of life. The serum immunoglobulin concentrations reached the peak levels in 18 to 30 hr after birth; i.e. IgM and IgA in 18 hr and IgGl and IgG2 in 30hr post-partum. The immunoglobulin concentrations declined in one to 5 weeks dependent upon the half life of each protein and then again increased gradually thereafter. There were wide variations in the postsuckling immunoglobulin concentrations among calves possibly due to the amount of colostrum ingested or the time of suckling right after birth. Two hypogammaglobulinemic calves were found to begin synthesizing IgM as early as at one week of age. No significant differences were found in this study between the postsuckling immunoglobulin levels and the incidence of disease or the rate of increase in body weight.

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