@conference {40702,
	title = {The relationship between daily Se intakes and blood Se concentrations in pregnant dairy cows},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {55},
	year = {1995},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {174-175},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {In ruminants protection against environmental pathogens in the early  post-natal period is largely dependent on passively-acquired immunity from  maternal colostrum since evidence suggests placental transfer of antibody  does not occur. Our overall aim is to develop antibody based treatments for  protection of neonatal animals. In this study we have re-examined aspects of  maternal antibody transfer to offspring especially in the light of recent  evidence that feeding specific antibodies to neonatal rats decreases  subsequent immune responses to the corresponding antigen. In experiment  1, pregnant ewes immunised with model antigen (human growth hormone)  were terminated at 135 days gestation and blood samples collected from the  ewe and fetus. Analysis of fetal plasma by antibody dilution/tracer binding  assay procedures produced no evidence of antibody transfer to the fetal  circulation via the placenta. In a further study the kinetics of specific  antibodies were examined in lambs from immunised ewes. One group of  lambs was permitted to suckle from the ewe for the duration of the trial (40  days) whereas the other group was permitted initial sucklings only, separated  from the ewe 24 hours post partum and then fed a milk substitute. Analysis  of specific antibodies titres revealed a very similar trend in both the amount  of antibody transferred to lamb plasma and its persistence with the half-life  for both groups calculated at approx. 13 days In the second experiment  lambs from ewes immunised during pregnancy against E.coli and fed  specific antibodies via maternal colostrum as neonates were compared to a  matched control group of lambs derived from non-immunised ewes for  subsequent immune responses against the same antigen. Peak antibody titres  as analysed by ELISA were lower in lambs from immunised ewes than in  control group lambs (mean titre (-log 10) 5.29 },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Grace ND and Mills AR and Death AF}
}
