Studies on cellular defense in the new-born calf
Steinbach, G.; Meyer, H.
Archiv für Experimentelle Veterinarmedizin 24(4): 1007-1011
1970
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-9055 PMID: 5499407 Document Number: 29064
The greater resistance to infection of adult cattle and calves which have sucked in comparison with new-born calves is expressed by the greater rate of phagocytosis by blood phagocytes and by the more rapid elimination of intravenously injected coli organisms. In order to discover whether this difference was due to solely humoral factors or to a change in phagocytic cells, the development of carbon-particle clearance was followed in calves, and the phagocytic activity of blood phagocytes from new-born calves and adult cattle in response to the same humoral factors was compared. The results showed that calf phagocytes were fully functional at the moment of birth, and that humoral factors were solely responsible for the higher phagocytic activity in calves that had sucked and in adult cattle.