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Studies on the supply of immunoglobulin G to newborn camel calves (Camelus dromedarius).
Abstract: A major problem in camel productivity is the high mortality rate of camel calves in the first 3 months. The causes for mortality are mainly poor management practice and infectious diseases. The purpose of this research, carried out on a ranch in Kenya, was to determine the immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration in camel colostrum as well as the extent of the calves' passive immunization by maternal antibodies. IgG concentration in colostrum and in the serum of the calf were measured during the first 3 d of life. Evaluation was carried out by comparing the respective values with those for horses and cattle. The average IgG concentration in the camel colostrum was higher than that found in literature for horses and cattle. IgG concentration in the serum of the camel calves reached its maximum 24 h after birth. In 39% of the examined calves, this maximum concentration was below 4 g/l, which is considered to be the critical value in horses and cattle. 61% of the calves achieved an IgG concentration of over 4 g/l. Since there is no correlation between IgG level in colostrum and early mortality, the results indicate that low colostrum intake during the first 24 h of life and not low IgG concentration in colostrum is presumably one of the main causes of early calf mortality. Therefore, it was recommended that the care of the newborn calves by herdsmen should be improved.
Publication Date: 2001-04-06 PubMed ID: 11289259DOI: 10.1017/s0022029900004635Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigates the levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in camel calves during their early days of life, comparing these levels with those found in horses and cattle. It poses that a combination of low colostrum intake and poor management practices, rather than low IgG concentration, results in high infant mortality rates among camel calves.
Objective of the Study
- The main aim of this study was to explore the concentration of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in camel colostrum and its effect on the passive immunization of newborn camel calves.
- Researchers sought to compare the IgG levels in camels to those in horses and cattle, in an attempt to understand whether such a comparison could provide insight into the high mortality rate among camel calves in the first three months of life.
Methodology
- The investigation was carried out on a ranch in Kenya. Here, researchers measured the IgG concentration in camel colostrum, as well as the IgG levels in the calf’s serum in the first three days of its life.
- The comparative analysis involved measuring the IgG values against those of horses and cattle found in similar studies.
Key Findings
- Contrary to the low IgG concentrations often attributed to high calf mortality, the average IgG concentration in camel colostrum was found to be higher than that in horses and cattle.
- The IgG levels in the serum of camel calves hit their peak 24 hours after birth. However, in 39% of the calf samples tested, this peak was below 4g/l, a level considered critical in horses and cattle.
- In 61% of the calves sampled, the IgG concentration surpassed 4g/l, indicating adequate immunization.
Conclusion
- The research concluded that high infant mortality rates among camel calves were not related to low IgG concentration but rather to other factors such as low colostrum intake during the calf’s initial 24 hours and poor herdsmen management practices.
- It therefore suggests that improving the care given to newborn calves by their herdsmen could lead to a decrease in early calf mortality.
Cite This Article
APA
Kamber R, Farah Z, Rusch P, Hassig M.
(2001).
Studies on the supply of immunoglobulin G to newborn camel calves (Camelus dromedarius).
J Dairy Res, 68(1), 1-7.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022029900004635 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Clinic for Obstetrics, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Husbandry
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn / blood
- Animals, Newborn / immunology
- Camelus / blood
- Camelus / immunology
- Colostrum / immunology
- Immunity, Maternally-Acquired
- Immunoglobulin G / analysis
- Immunoglobulin G / blood
- Reference Values
- Time Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Mößler M, Rychli K, Reichmann VM, Albert T, Wittek T. Immunoglobulin G Concentrations in Alpaca Colostrum during the First Four Days after Parturition. Animals (Basel) 2022 Jan 11;12(2).
- Hussen J, Schuberth HJ. Recent Advances in Camel Immunology. Front Immunol 2020;11:614150.
- El Sheikh AI, Almathen F, Hussen J. Investigation of total immunoglobulin G concentration, heavy chain antibody levels, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in female camels and their newborn calves. Trop Anim Health Prod 2020 Nov;52(6):3863-3868.
- Mubarak A, Alturaiki W, Hemida MG. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV): Infection, Immunological Response, and Vaccine Development. J Immunol Res 2019;2019:6491738.
- Sikkema RS, Farag EABA, Islam M, Atta M, Reusken CBEM, Al-Hajri MM, Koopmans MPG. Global status of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in dromedary camels: a systematic review. Epidemiol Infect 2019 Jan;147:e84.
- Harrath R, Abu Duhier FM. Sero-prevalence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) specific antibodies in dromedary camels in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. J Med Virol 2018 Aug;90(8):1285-1289.
- van Doremalen N, Hijazeen ZS, Holloway P, Al Omari B, McDowell C, Adney D, Talafha HA, Guitian J, Steel J, Amarin N, Tibbo M, Abu-Basha E, Al-Majali AM, Munster VJ, Richt JA. High Prevalence of Middle East Respiratory Coronavirus in Young Dromedary Camels in Jordan. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2017 Feb;17(2):155-159.
- Meyer B, Juhasz J, Barua R, Das Gupta A, Hakimuddin F, Corman VM, Müller MA, Wernery U, Drosten C, Nagy P. Time Course of MERS-CoV Infection and Immunity in Dromedary Camels. Emerg Infect Dis 2016 Dec;22(12):2171-2173.
- Salhi I, Bessalah S, Mbarek SB, Chniter M, Seddik MM, Khorchani T, Hammadi M. Passive transfer of maternal immunity in the dromedary (Camelus dromedarius), involvement of heavy chain antibodies. Trop Anim Health Prod 2015 Mar;47(3):613-8.
- Daley-Bauer LP, Purdy SR, Smith MC, Gagliardo LF, Davis WC, Appleton JA. Contributions of conventional and heavy-chain IgG to immunity in fetal, neonatal, and adult alpacas. Clin Vaccine Immunol 2010 Dec;17(12):2007-15.
- Hussein HA, Mohamed A, Ahmed JM. Participatory epidemiology on major camel calf health and management problems in pastoral and semi-pastoral zones of Somali region, Ethiopia. PLoS One 2024;19(3):e0301551.
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