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Inheritance and Interaction of Immune Traits in Beef Calves¹

Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331 and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Clay Center, NE 68933

Abstract

Three sets of blood samples were obtained from beef calves of two experimental populations and assayed for various immunological measurements. The first set of samples was taken between 24 and 48 h after birth and quantified for IgG₁ concentration. A second set was taken immediately prior to vaccination for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV; at an average age of 164 d) and a third set taken 60 d post-vaccination. These later samples were quantified for antibodies specific to IBRV. Level of complement C3 was also quantified in the samples taken immediately prior to vaccination. Three hundred sixty-seven calves were from four Hereford lines; three lines were previously selected for growth traits and the fourth was a randomly selected control line. There were no consistent differences in immune traits among these lines. The second group of 165 animals were Angus, Hereford and Red Poll calves. While Angus calves had a higher mean IgG₁ concentration at 24 to 48 h of age than Hereford or Red Poll calves, no differences among breeds were found for the other immune traits measured. Calves from older dams (>3 yr old) tended to have higher mean IgG₁ concentrations, pre-vaccination IBRV antibody titers and complement C3 levels than calves from 2- and 3-yr-old cows. However, these calves had lower 60-d post-vaccination IBRV titers than calves from the younger cows (P<.05). As pre-vaccination IBRV antibody titer increased, post-vaccination IBRV antibody titer decreased (P<.05). All pooled heritability estimates did not differ significantly from 0 (range –.06 ± .08 to .21 ± .12), nor were there significant phenotypic associations between the immune traits and growth performance.

¹ Tech. Paper No. 7739, Oregon Agr. Exp. Sta. Contribution to Western Regional Coordinating Committee Project WRCC-1, "The Improvement of Beef Cattle through the Application of Breeding Methods."

² Present address: Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Anim. Res. Center, USDA-ARS, Clay Center, NE.

³ Anim. Sci. Dept., Oregon State Univ.

⁴ Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Anim. Res. Center, USDA-ARS, Clay Center, NE.

⁵ College of Vet. Med., Oregon State Univ.

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