Successful transfer of passive immunity: the natural alternative to antibiotics for boosting the survival of intensively reared dairy goat kids.

In dairy operations, antibiotics have traditionally been used to treat, prevent, and control diseases. However, given the mounting global crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), farmers are urged to re-assess and reduce their reliance on antibiotics. Thus, this randomized, double-blinded cohort study aimed to estimate the prevalence of failed and successful transfer of passive immunity (FTPI and STPI) in dairy goat kids reared under commercial conditions, and the effects of antibiotic metaphylaxis on the pre-weaning (≤42 d old) mortality in FTPI and STPI kids. Plasma concentration of immunoglobulin G at 1d old (pIgG-24 h) was measured in 747 male Saanen kids for the determination of FTPI and STPI (pIgG-24 h < 12 and ≥12 g/L, respectively). Kids were then randomly divided into two groups: those receiving a single penicillin injection at 1 d old (PEN), and those receiving no treatment (CTR). The mean (±SD) pIgG-24 h and initial BW (IBW) were 17 ± 9.8 g/L and 4.1 ± 0.64 kg. The prevalence of FTPI was 29% (220/747 kids). Gastrointestinal complications were the primary cause of death (41%), followed by septicemia (22%) and arthritis (17%). A single penicillin injection reduced preweaning mortality by 55% (10 vs 22%, PEN vs CTR). However, results suggest that such a decline was mainly driven by the improved survival rates among FTPI kids, which increased by 19% (from 62% in CTR-FTPI to 82% in PEN-FTPI), as opposed to an 8% increase among STPI kids (from 85% in CTR-STPI to 93% in PEN-STPI). Additionally, the odds of mortality ≤ 42 d old were threefold higher in the CTR-FTPI group when compared to both the CTR-STPI and PEN-FTPI groups, suggesting a potential parity between STPI and PEN for mortality rate reduction. Taken together, the results indicate that although metaphylactic antibiotics can halve preweaning mortality, similar improvements are likely to be achieved via increased STPI rates. Furthermore, by targeting metaphylactic interventions to high-risk groups (i.e., those displaying signs of inadequate colostrum intake and/or low birth BW), farmers could reduce treatment costs and mitigate AMR risks. While these findings carry considerable weight for commercial dairy goat practices, their applicability to other systems (i.e., extensive, semi-intensive, mohair, meat systems) warrants further investigation.

Effect of oleanolic acid on hepatic toxicant-activating and detoxifying systems in mice.

We have previously shown that oleanolic acid (OA) protects mice against the hepatotoxicity of carbon tetrachloride, acetaminophen, bromobenzene, thioacetamide, furosemide, phalloidin, colchicine, cadmium, D-galactosamine and endotoxin. This study was designed to examine whether OA modulates hepatic toxicant-activating and detoxifying systems as a means of protection. Mice were treated with OA (100 and 200 mumol/kg s.c.) for 3 days, and liver microsomes and cytosols were prepared 24 hr after the last dose. OA produced a dose-dependent reduction in liver microsomal cytochrome P450 (P450) levels (25-37%) and cytochrome b5 (15-21%) content, but had no effect on NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity. OA treatment also decreased several P450 enzyme activities, such as coumarin 7-hydroxylation (45%), 7-pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylation (35%), 7-ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylation (25%) and chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation (20%). Treatment of mice with OA decreased caffeine N3-demethylation (40%), but had no effect on caffeine 8-hydroxylation. OA treatment decreased testosterone 6 alpha- and 15 alpha-hydroxylation (40-50%) and androstenedione formation (35%), but slightly increased testosterone 1 alpha/beta-, 2 beta- and 6 beta-hydroxylation. Consistent with enzyme activities, OA decreased the amounts of mouse liver CYP1A and CYP2A enzymes, but had no appreciable effect on CYP3A enzymes, as determined by immunoblotting with antibodies against rat P450 enzymes. OA treatment slightly increased liver glutathione (GSH) content and the activity of GSH S-transferases toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, but had no effect on GSH peroxidase and GSH reductase. The activities of superoxide dismutase and DT-diaphorase were unaffected by OA treatment. At the high dose of OA, catalase activity was decreased by 20%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)