Inheritance of active and passive humoral immunity in ruminants
W.D. Hohenboken, N.E. Muggli, P.L. Berggren-Thomas and L.M.
Norman
Department of Animal Science, Oregon State University,
Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1986, 46: 5-14
The active immune system involves phagocytic, cell mediated and
humoral processes plus complement proteins, all interacting to protect
the individual from pathogenic organisms. Passive immunity is acquired
by new-born ungulates by ingestion of immunoglobulins from colostrum.
Research in laboratory animals has established that peak antibody
synthesis following challenge with a foreign antigen responds readily to
directional selection. The increased titre frequently results in
enhanced resistance to some diseases but enhanced susceptibility to
others. Oregon State University research has produced conflicting
results as to the heritability of the ability of new-born calves and
lambs to acquire and absorb colostral immunoglobulins and as to the
heritability of this passive immunity considered as a trait of the dam.
Significant differences among breeds, selection lines and strains did
exist for level of colostral immunoglobulins, and low levels (and, in
one experiment, high levels as well) were associated with lower neonatal
survival. In cattle, there was little evidence that either active
immune response or level of complement protein C3 was heritable; but in
ewes, the antibody titre to a challenge antigen was moderately to highly
heritable. The authors speculate that stabilising selection for immune
system traits might be most effective to improve generalised disease
resistance and overall livestock production efficiency.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Cattle; sheep; immunological traits; active immunity; passive
immunity; disease resistance; humoral immunity; immunoglobulins
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Last Updated 18-03-1997
