Effect of maternal cells transferred with colostrum on the health of neonate calves

Abstract The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of cells from colostrum on the health of neonate calves. Animals were distributed in 2 groups: COL + ( n  = 9) which received fresh colostrum from their own damns; and COL − ( n  = 10) which received frozen colostrums from donors. Heifers were assessed before colostrum intake – D0; D2; D7; D14; D21 and D28. Heifers were monitored by clinical examination, hematological profile and serum iron. COL − had a higher diarrhea intensity score (typically 3) on D7. Moreover, a single case each of bronchopneumonia and navel inflammation were observed in COL − calves. COL − had fewer red blood cells (RBC) (6.5 ± 0.8 × 10 6 /μL) and less hemoglobin (Hgb) (8.3 ± 1.4 g/dL) than COL + (RBC = 7.2 ± 0.8 × 10 6 /μL; Hgb = 9.6 ± 1.3 g/dL) at D14 ( P  ≤ 0.05). COL − had more anemia on D21 ( P  = 0.03) and on D28 ( P  = 0.02). Iron was lower in COL − (5.6 ± 2.7 μM/L) than COL + (10.7 ± 6.2 μM/L) ( P  = 0.03) on D7. Lymphocytes was lower in COL − than COL + on D7 (3.8 ± 1.0 × 10 3 /μL COL + and 5.4 ± 2.2 × 10 3 /μL COL −, P  = 0.02). COL − calves had more anemia and lower serum iron concomitant with diarrhea on D7. The number of leukocytes was relatively consistent in the COL + calves, while COL − calves showed an increasing number of of lymphocytes starting on D7.