M Herr, H Bostedt

Clinic for Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Andrology of Large and Small Animals with an Ambulatory Service

of the Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany

M Herr, H Bostedt

Influence of peripartal disturbances on the humoral

immunity in dairy cows

This research project is promoted by the Schaumann Stiftung

Influence of peripartal disturbances on the humoral immunity in dairy cows

■ In dairy cows, diseases arise within the periparturient period with a higher incidence than in other farm animals (Lewis, 1997; McDougall, 2001; Diez-Fraile et al., 2003; Lamote et al., 2006).

■ On the majority there occure cases of mastitis a.p. and directly p.p., retained fetal membranes, puerperal toxicaemia, puerperal septicaemia and chronic endometritis .


Detilleux et al. (1995) as well as Franklin et al. (2005) describe an abartement of IgG1 until the birth. Additionally, there is present a study, that shows a coincidence between the occurrence of retained placenta (RP) and a degraded colostral content of immunoglobulins.

Partus Colostral Ig-content

without RP 15,13 ± 8,56 g/l

with RP 7,58 ± 6,72 g/l Source: Lona, V.; Romero, C. (2001); J. Dairy Sci. 84: 389-391


■ Following questions should be answered by this study:

■ What are the concentrations of humoral immunoglobulins (IgG/IgM) in the periparturient period ?

■ Are there relations between the severity of birth as well as disturbances in the postpartal period to the humoral concentrations of immunoglobulins ?


■ Survey design :

■ Tested subjects: n = 57 dairy cows (HF SB, HF RB), aged between 3 and 5 years

■ Eutocia: n = 21 ■ with postpartal intricacies : n = 3 ■ without postpartal intricacies : n = 18 (control group)

■ Dystocia: n = 36 ■ with postpartal intricacies : n = 18 ■ without postpartal intricacies : n = 18


■ Method:

■ the humorale IgG- and IgM-titer were determined by using new developed and evaluated competitive ELISA's

(Stengel, K.-H. (1998); Bender, P. (2004))


■ Results:

■ rapid decrease of IgG from the 8th week a.p. to parturition (p<0,001)

■ reconciliation up to the 4th week p.p.


■ Results:

■ decline of IgM between the 4th and 2nd week a.p.

■ enhancement 2 weeks a.p. to partus

(p < 0,001) ■ decrease i.p.; up to

the 4th week p.p. on degraded level (p > 0,05)


■ Results:

■ relatively constant between the 8th week a.p. until 1 day a.p.

■ precipitous increase i.p.

(p < 0,001) ■ 24 hours p.p. again

on base level (p < 0,01)

Cortisol (control group)

ng/m

l

0

3,5

7

10,5

14

d p.p.

-56 P 1 3 7 14 28

■ Eutocia with undisturbed postpartal period n = 18

■ Eutocia with disturbed postpartal period n = 3

mg/

ml

0

7

14

21

28

d p.p.G II G IV 0,5 1 3 5 7 10

Eutocia without postpartal intricacies Eutocia with Mastitis p.p.

IgG

mg/

ml

0

3,75

7,5

11,25

15

d p.p.G II G IV 0,5 1 3 5 7 10

Eutocia without postpartal intricacies Eutocia with Mastitis p.p.

IgM

■ Tested subjects:

■ Dystocia with undisturbed postpartal period

n = 8

■ Dystocia with disturbed postpartal period

n = 8

■ p (IgG i.p.) = 0,02 p (IgG group) = 0,02 p (IgM i.p.) > 0,05 p (IgM group) > 0,05

IgG KGH

mg/

ml

0

6

12

18

24

d p.p.

i.p. p.p. 0,5 1 2 3 4 5 7 10

without postpartal intricacies with postpartal intricacies

IgM KGH

mg/

ml

0

1,75

3,5

5,25

7

d p.p.

i.p. p.p. 0,5 1 2 3 4 5 7 10




n = 10


n = 10

■ p (IgG i.p.) = 0,02 p (IgG group) = 0,02 p (IgM i.p.) > 0,05 p (IgM group) > 0,05

IgG Sectio caesarea

mg/

ml

0

6

12

18

24

d p.p.

i.p. p.p. 0,5 1 2 3 4 5 7 10


IgM Sectio caesarea

mg/

ml

0

1,75

3,5

5,25

7

d p.p.

i.p. p.p. 0,5 1 2 3 4 5 7 10




n = 18


n = 18

■ p (group) = 0,02 p (time) < 0,001

IgG

mg/

ml

0

10

20

30

40

d p.p.Partus 5 10 28

Eutocia p.p.KGH with undisturbed postpartal periodSectio caes. with undisturbed postpartal period

IgG

mg/

ml

0

10

20

30

40

d p.p.P 1 3 7 14 28

Eutocia p.p.KGH with disturbed postpartal periodSectio caes. with disturbed postpartal period



n = 18


n = 18

■ p (group) > 0,05 p (time) > 0,05

IgM

mg/

ml

2

3,75

5,5

7,25

9

d p.p.P 1 3 7 14 28

Eutocia p.p.KGH with undisturbed postpartal periodSectio caes. with undisturbed postpartal period

IgM

mg/

ml

0

2,25

4,5

6,75

9

d p.p.P 1 3 7 14 28

Eutocia p.p.KGH with disturbed postpartal periodSectio caes. with disturbed postpartal period


■ Summary I:

■ The decline of the IgG concentrations in dairy cattle with eutocia from the 7th month a.p. up to parturition, as well as the degraded IgG- and IgM-concentrations p.p. are the expression of a decreased immunocompetence during periparturient period.

■ A dystocia, particulary in association with a disturbed postpartal period, correspond with differently strong depressions within the immune system, which are slowly compensated during aftermath.


■ Summary II:

■ The phase of the immunosuppression post partum, which persists depending upon process of the birth and the postpartale period at least four weeks, is an tentative explanation for increased disease susceptibility in the periparturient period.

Thank you for your attention

M Herr, H Bostedt

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