Studies on rotaviral antibody in bovine serum and lacteal secretions, using radioimmunoassay
Acres, S.D.; Babiuk, L.A.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 173(5 Pt 2): 555-559
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-1488 PMID: 212399 Document Number: 131284
Solid phase radioimmunoassay was used to estimate the amount of rotavirus antibody in colostrum and milk of 21 beef cows in a spring-calving herd. The herd was confined prior to and during the neonatal calf diarrhoea epizootic. Post-partum collections were taken at 8, 32 and 80 h for colostrum and at 5 and 10 days for milk. All cows had antibody titres until 32 h. By 80 h, 6 of 13 cows with normal calves and 4 of 8 cows with calves that later developed diarrhoea no longer had colostral rotavirus antibodies. The colostral antibody titre at 8, 32 and 80 h was correlated with the age at which rotavirus was first isolated from calves. The amount and rate of decline of antirotaviral titres in the lacteal secretions of cows nursing normal or diarrhoeal calves were similar. By 10 days post partum rotaviral antibody could not be detected.