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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » Livestock Behavior Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #166181
Title: A YEAST CELL-WALL DERIVATIVE AND ASCORBIC ACID FED TO NEONATAL DAIRY CALVES IS PROTECTIVE AGAINST ENTERIC CHALLENGE WITH SALMONELLA DUBLIN

Author
item CARY, D - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item Eicher, Susan
item PATTERSON, J - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item JOHNSON, T - PURDUE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/2004
Publication Date: 7/25/2004
Citation: Cary, D.C., Eicher, S.D., Patterson, J.A., Johnson, T.A. 2004. A yeast cell-wall derivative and ascorbic acid fed to neonatal dairy calves is protective against enteric challenge with salmonella dublin. Journal of Dairy Science. 87(1):406.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Salmonella dublin frequently causes morbidity and mortality in dairy calves during the first weeks of life. The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of ß-glucan and ascorbic acid for protection against a S. dublin challenge. Thirty-eight bull calves, 3 to 10 days of age, were transported for 4 h, then placed into one of three treatment groups: Immuo-gain, a product containing 2% beta-glucan and ascorbic acid (IG); a purified B-glucan plus ascorbic acid (BG); and a control (CTL). On day 21, all calves received an oral challenge of 4.28 X 10^8CFU S. dublin. BW were recorded post-d 0 transport, pre-challenge (d 21), and pre- d 42 transport. Weekly wither heights, feed intake, temperature, average fecal scores, and fecal shedding of Salmonella were recorded. Temperatures were taken twice daily, for one week after the challenge. All calves began the study positive for Salmonella (non-S. dublin). By day 14, shedding of Salmonella by BG calves had decreased compared to IG (P<.05) and CTL (P=.15). Shedding was negligible at the time of S. dublin challenge. All groups increased shedding after challenge, with no difference among groups. All calves were negative for fecal Salmonella by d 42. BG temperatures peaked at 96 h through 120 h, IG temperatures peaked at 72 h, and CTL temperatures showed a bimodal peak, at 48 and 96 h. At 48 h, the percentage of CTL calves with temperatures higher than 40ºC (normal = 39ºC) tended to be more than the percentage of IG calves (P=.12). Mortality tended to be lower (P<.10) in IG than BG prior to challenge (8%,36%), and lower (P<.05) than BG and CTL after challenge (8%,36%,17%, respectively). There were no significant differences in growth measures of weight or height. Feed efficiency (weight gain/feed intake) was significantly higher in IG than BG (P<.01) and CTL (P<.01) prior to S. dublin challenge on d 21. There was no difference in final feed efficiency. Results indicate that ascorbic acid plus yeast cell wall derivates containing beta-glucan may provide protection during enteric challenge. These data can be used to develop products that will impact the morbidity and mortality problems encountered by calf growers when antibiotics are not used.