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. 1972 Aug;23(2):225–238.

Immunoglobulins in bovine mammary secretions

Quantitative changes in early lactation and absorption by the neonatal calf

P Porter
PMCID: PMC1407913  PMID: 4560742

Abstract

Antibodies against Escherichia coli 08 in bovine colostrum and serum have been studied by gel filtration chromatography and the red cell linked antigen—antiglobulin reaction. Immunoglobulins were assayed by radial immunodiffusion.

In bovine colostrum anti-E. coli activity was attributable to IgA and the level of activity was comparable with that detected in IgM and IgG fractions. The immunoglobulin profile and distribution of E. coli antibodies in post-colostral calf serum was similar to that in colostrum, thus providing an unusual occurrence of high levels of secretory IgA in serum. However the immunoglobulin disappeared rapidly from the serum with an apparent half life of approximately 2 days; the value for IgM was 4 days.

During the first 3 days of lactation the levels of immunoglobulins fall rapidly and milk is subsequently secreted with uniformly low levels of antibodies.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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