Effect of colostral antibody on bovine leukemia virus infection of neonatal calves
Van Der Maaten, M.J.; Miller, J.M.; Schmerr, M.J.
American Journal of Veterinary Research 42(9): 1498-1500
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9645 PMID: 6275754 Document Number: 179948
Pairs of newborn calves were exposed to bovine leukemia virus (BLV) when they were given their 1st colostrum feeding. Calves that were given 10(6) BLV-infected lymphocytes in colostrum free of BLV-specific antibody became infected. Calves that were fed 10(7), 10(8), or 10(9) infected lymphocytes in colostrum that contained BLV-specific antibody did not become infected. One of 2 calves inoculated intradermally with 250,000 infected lymphocytes was protected by colostral antibody, but the other was not. Colostral antibody titers in the unprotected calf decreased normally until the calf was 4 months old and then increased markedly; this pattern indicates that the presence of colostral antibody may have prolonged the latent period of the BLV infection.