Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Livestock Issues Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #351946
Research Project: Nutritional Intervention and Management Strategies to Reduce Stress and Improve Health and Well-being in Cattle and Swine

Location: Livestock Issues Research

Title: Prebiotic/probiotic blend attenuates the innate immune response of steers to a BRD challenge

Author
item Broadway, Paul
item Carroll, Jeffery - Jeff Carroll
item Sanchez, Nicole
item WORD, ALYSSA - Texas Tech University
item LITTLEJOHN, BRITTNI - Texas A&M University
item PAULUS COMPART, DEVAN - Pmi Nutritional Additives

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2018
Publication Date: 12/7/2018
Citation: Broadway, P.R., Carroll, J.A., Sanchez, N.C., Word, A.B., Littlejohn, B.P., Paulus Compart, D.M. 2018. Prebiotic/probiotic blend attenuates the innate immune response of steers to a BRD challenge. Journal of Animal Science Supplement. 96(Suppl3):23.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: To evaluate the potential health benefits of a prebiotic/probiotic blend (PPB), beef steers (n=16; BW=277±4.4kg) were subjected to a combined viral-bacterial respiratory disease challenge utilizing BHV-1 (intranasal; 1.0x10^8 PFU/ml/nostril; -72h) and Mannheimia haemolytica (MH; intratracheal; 1.27x10^7 CFU/hd; 0h) following 36d of supplementation with PPB (28.4g/hd/d) or not (CON). Following MH administration, serum was collected every h from 0 to 8h, every 12h from 12h to 72h, and at 168h and was analyzed for IL-4, IL-6, and IFN'. Whole blood was analyzed for hematology every other h from 0 to 8h, and every 12h out to 72h, and at 168h as described above. There was a tendency (P=0.08) for a trt x time effect for IFN' where concentrations were greater in PPB steers from 0 to 12h, however, IFN-' returned to baseline faster in PPB than CON steers (24 vs. 168h, respectively). There was a treatment x time interaction (P<0.01) for rectal temperature (RT), measured from -72 to 69h via indwelling RT monitors, in that PPB steers had decreased RT from -72 to 24h and from 47 to 68h. Concentrations of IL-4 were elevated in CON steers for the duration of the challenge (P=0.01). While there were no overall treatment differences in IL-6 (P=0.27), concentrations were numerically decreased in PPB steers throughout the challenge. Circulating neutrophil concentrations in PPB steers were decreased from 4 to 36h (P<0.05); however, there was no difference in circulating lymphocyte concentrations between CON and PPB throughout the study (P=0.24). Accordingly, the neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio was decreased in PPB steers following the MH challenge for 48h (P<0.01) when compared to CON. Overall, these data suggest there may be benefit to PPB supplementation in the event of a respiratory disease event as the PPB steers appeared to have recovered from the challenge faster than CON steers.