Evaluating Goat Colostrum Quality and Kid Passive Transfer Status
Open Access
- Author:
- St Clair, Elizabeth
- Area of Honors:
- Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Robert John Van Saun, Thesis Supervisor
Robert John Van Saun, Thesis Honors Advisor
Dr. Justin Brown, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- colostrum
passive transfer
goat
immunoglobulin
IgG
Brix - Abstract:
- Feeding high-quality colostrum is the most important event in the newborn kid’s life to ensure viability and survivability. The study objectives were to evaluate goat colostrum quality by defining a relationship between Brix and immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration, document serum IgG concentration based on total IgG consumed, and determine a relationship between total protein and serum IgG concentrations. All samples were collected on a 900-doe commercial dairy goat facility. Goat colostrum was evaluated for IgG concentration using a Brix refractometer and radial immunodiffusion (RID). Kid blood samples were evaluated for serum total protein with a digital refractometer and serum IgG concentration with goat IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mean ± SD (median, range) colostrum IgG for all samples (n=114) was 71.0 ± 36.8 mg/mL (74.2, 4.2-180.5). Brix and RID measures were highly correlated (P<0.0001, r2=0.85). Brix determinations tended to be influenced by dry length (P=0.084), but not age or number of kids. Linear regression model relating Brix to RID in goat colostrum was RID (mg/mL)=6.97(Brix)-73.65 (r2=0.73, P<0.0001). Mean ± SD (median, range) serum total protein (n=30) and total IgG concentration (n=57) were 6.0 ± 0.8 g/dL (6.0, 4.5-7.2) and 15.8 ± 7.3 mg/mL (15.3, 3.1-36.1), respectively. Serum total protein measured was highly associated (r2=0.73; P<0.0001) with serum IgG concentration. Total IgG consumed showed the greatest influence (P=0.0020) with no effect of method of feeding or time to feeding. Calculated efficiency of IgG absorption was 16.8 ± 8.8% (16.4; 3.6-52.9). Based on these results, the digital Brix refractometer is a valid method to predict colostrum quality based on IgG concentration in goats. Serum total protein is an effective method to evaluate IgG in serum.