DEVELOPMENT OF THE INNATE IMMUNE RESPONSE AND INFLUENCE OF COLOSTRUM SUCKLING IN CALVES

Abstract

Bovine colostrum contains immune factors, like leukocytes and cytokines that are absorbed by the intestinal mucosa of the neonate, however, not much is known about the function of some of these components in the active immune response of calves. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of colostrum intake and development of the innate immune response of calves from birth to two months of age, by evaluating the proportion of neutrophils CH138⁺ and monocytes CD14⁺, using flow citometry and measurement of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, using comercial ELISA kits. According to the obtained results we can determine that colostrum intake had influenced the IFN-gamma concentration and the monocytes CD14⁺ and neutrophils CH138⁺ proportions in the circulation of calves and that these components seem to play a key role in the development of immune response of these animals, providing protection against pathogens, enhancing the phagocytic activity and antigen presentation by monocytes.