ABSORPTION OF IMMUNOGLOBULINS IN THE COLOSTRUM BY ARTIFICIALLY-NOURISHED LAMBS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the body mass and the immune state of the lambs raised in natural conditions and artificial feeding conditions with two different quantities of colostrum. In this study, 60 lambs were randomly divided into groups according to treatment: 20 lambs remained with their mothers (the natural growth group G1), 20 lambs were taken from their mothers post-partum and were fed from the bottle with 150 g of collection milk (G 2) equivalent of 4g of IgG, and 20 lambs were fed with 200 g colostrum (G3) equivalent of 8 g IgG. The total colostrum amount was equally divided into three rations 2, 14, and 24 h post-partum. Naturally raised lambs (G1) had a larger body mass than G2 and G3 during breastfeeding, while G2 and G3 had a larger body mass than G1 upon weaning. G3 and G1 had plasma concentrations of IgG higher than G2 during breastfeeding. G2 and G3 presented similar concentrations of IgG, but higher than G1 lambs. The lambs that were breastfed with 200 g colostrum (8 g of IgG/kg) presented immune values similar to those of the lambs grown in natural conditions, with a higher weight. This proves that not only the amount of colostrum, but also its management during the separation of the mother, the quality of the milk, and the frequency of breastfeeding can affect the final immune status of the lambs. Regarding the study of factors influencing the absorption of colostrum immunoglobulins from recently-born lambs, 60 lambs belonging to the Țurcană breed were separated from their mothers before breastfeeding and fed with the bottle with 10 measures of colostrum from their mothers and 10 from colostrum collection.