Milk productivity and the level of natural antibodies in Holstein cows from different genetic and immunological groups

M. A. Eremina¹, I. Yu. Ezdakova^2
1Federal Scientific Center of Animal Husbandry – Ernst All-Russian Research Institute of Animal Husbandry, pos. Dubrovitsy, 60, Podol’skii r-n, Moskovskaya obl., 142132, Russian Federation
²Federal Scientific Center – Skryabin and Kovalenko All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Veterinary Medicine, RAS, Ryazanskii prosp., 24/1, Moskva, 109428, Russian Federation

Abstract. The studies were conducted in the Moscow region on cows of the Holstein breed in 2017–2019 during three lactations. The animals were divided into two groups (15 animals each) depending on the origin of the bulls previously assigned to the group with “stable” or “unstable” genetic and immunological indicators, which were determined based on the variation in IgG content by season. In “stable” animals, the values of this indicator were the same in spring, autumn, and on average, in “unstable” animals they changed. The amount of IgG was determined in blood serum using simple radial immunodiffusion; in whole blood, we determined the content of cellular factors of immunity. The milk yield of the cows-descendants of bulls with “stable” genetic and immunological parameters increased significantly in the second lactation (by 1253 kg). At the same time, an increase in productivity was accompanied by a significant decrease in the phagocytic activity of blood: in group I, it decreased by 23.6%; in group II, it decreased by 14.3%. During the second lactation in group II, we registered an increase in the tension of the functional capabilities of the cows’ bodies, expressed in terms of the association of segmented neutrophils/ lymphocytes: the correlation coefficients between them for three lactations in group I were -0.648, -0.430, and -0.484; in group II, they were -0.871, 0.510, and -0.958. The change of negative values to positive may indicate a failure of the adaptive capabilities of the bodies of cows from group II in this period. The results of the experiment can be useful for tribal evaluation of descendants of bulls according to the level of their natural resistance.

Keywords: cows; resistance; lactation; immunoglobulins; neutrophils; monocytes; phagocytic activity; leukoformula; milk yield; mass fraction of fat; mass fraction of protein; fat; protein.

Author Details: M. A. Eremina, D. Sc. (Agr.), senior research fellow (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); I. Yu. Ezdakova, D. Sc. (Biol.), head of laboratory (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.).

For citation: Eremina MA, Ezdakova IYu. [Milk productivity and the level of natural antibodies in Holstein cows from different genetic and immunological groups]. Dostizheniya nauki i tekhniki APK. 2020;34(4):60-3. Russian. doi: 10.24411/0235-2451-2020-10412.