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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #244066
Title: Biological Markers of Neonatal Calf Performance: The Relationship of Insulin-like Growth Factor-I, Zinc, and Copper to Poor Neonatal Growth

Author
item GRAHAM, T - Valley Veterinary Consulting Services
item BREHER, J - Valley Veterinary Consulting Services
item FARVER, T - University Of California
item CULLOR, J - University Of California
item Kehrli Jr, Marcus
item OBERBAUER, A - University Of California

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2010
Publication Date: 8/1/2010
Citation: Graham, T.W., Breher, J.E., Farver, T.B., Cullor, J.S., Kehrli, Jr., M.E., Oberbauer, A.M. 2010. Biological Markers of Neonatal Calf Performance: the Relationship of Insulin-like Growth Factor-I, Zinc, and Copper to Poor Neonatal Growth. Journal of Animal Science. 88(8):2585-2593.

Interpretive Summary: Cattle die as a result of many diseases. The majority of these can be categorized into deaths due to pneumonia and diarrhea. Viral diseases, such as bovine viral diarrhea virus, are leading contributors to each of these death losses. Immunity against bovine viral diarrhea virus is dependent upon the immune system's production of T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes that help combat the virus in cattle. The research reported here found that calves with serum biomarker evidence of inflammation during the first 3 months of life have poorer growth performance. The main benefit of this work has been the demonstration that inflammation can be a detriment to growth of young cattle. A more complete understanding of the very basics of bovine immunology, as reported here, will eventually enable producers to more effectively prevent the negative economic effects of disease.

Technical Abstract: Raising a heifer calf to reproductive age represents an enormous cost to the producer. Poor neonatal growth exacerbates the costs incurred, therefore the principal objective of this study was to evaluate blood parameters that may be associated with poorly growing calves and offer predictive value. Thus, the principal objective of the present study was to describe changes in serum IGF I, zinc, and copper from birth to 90 days in Holstein calves, accounting for gender and twin status. A second objective was to test the hypothesis that there exists an association between these serum parameters and morphometric indicators of growth. Measurements of weight, length, and height were recorded at birth, 30, 60, and 90 days of age. Jugular blood was drawn from each calf on day 1 to determine serum total protein, serum immunoglobin G, packed cell volume, serum zinc, serum copper, serum IGF I, and CD18 genotype for bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency; serum zinc, serum copper, and serum IGF I (predictor variables) were also determined for each calf on days 2 through 10, and days 30, 60, and 90. Stepwise multiple regression and logistic regression were used to examine the relationships between the predictor variables and the dependent variables (weight, height, and length at 30, 60, and 90 days of life). Birth weight, sex, serum IGF I (at all ages), serum copper, and serum copper to zinc ratio were associated, to varying degrees, with the dependent growth parameter variables. Birth weight was consistently the dominant predictor. In conclusion, these results suggest that low birth weight, low serum IGF I, and inflammation may be important causes of poor growth in neonatal Holstein dairy calves.