Student Research Projects
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Department
Biological Sciences
Abstract
Dairy calves are born with a naive immune system, and must obtain passive immunity through ingestion of colostrum. Colostrum provides the newborn with antimicrobial proteins called immunoglobulins, such as immunoglobulin G (IgG), that protect the calf for the first few weeks of life. Calves that receive good quality colostrum (>50 g/L of IgG) are more likely to survive to adulthood. Niacin is a vasodilator that may increase blood flow to the mammary gland during production of colostrum in the mother. This experiment investigated the effect of niacin supplementation at a rate of 48 g/cow/day for 3 weeks before calving on the IgG content of colostrum. Colostrum samples were collected from 3 participating farms in New Hampshire. All samples were frozen for later analysis with radioimmunodiffusion assay plates. The mean IgG concentration of the niacin treatment (n=30) was 89.41 g/L (± 25.08). The mean IgG concentration of the control treatment (n=6) was 91.07 g/L (± 15.46). Due to limited sample numbers, further research is needed to determine any effect of treatment. This preliminary data is being used to guide further research on this subject. To our knowledge, no other research has been done to date on this subject.
Date of Publication or Presentation
Spring 5-15-2014
Project Type
Undergraduate Research Project
College or School
COLSA
First Advisor
Peter Erickson
Recommended Citation
Pike, Allison Marie, "Evaluating Colostrum Quality with Niacin Supplementation in the Diet of Dairy Cattle" (2014). Student Research Projects. 15.
https://scholars.unh.edu/student_research/15
Included in
Agriculture Commons, Dairy Science Commons, Laboratory and Basic Science Research Commons, Large or Food Animal and Equine Medicine Commons