Total milk IgA contents in the different lactation stages.

<p>BTC means the "before treatment control" value of all cows in frame for vaccination. The lactation stages are defined as “early” for ≤ 100 DiL, “mid” for 101–200 DiL, “late” for ≥ 201 DiL. The ordinate values represent comparatively LSM ± SD of the BTC (n = 9, black bar), low responder (LR, n = 4, cross-striped bars) and high responder (HR, n = 5, dotted bars) groups. Brackets with asterisks link treated groups with BTC and during the same lactation stage, if significant differences between them are indicated by P < 0.05 (*) or P < 0.01 (**). Significant differences within the same group related to the early lactation stage are indicated by lower case letters (a, b) in case of P < 0.05 and upper case letters (A, B) for P < 0.01.</p

Anti-<i>C</i>. <i>diff</i>. and total IgA contents in milk and blood of treated cows when the initial period (TW 0) and prior to the <i>MucoCD-I</i> vaccine batch B was used for the first time (TW 16).

<p>Anti-<i>C</i>. <i>diff</i>. and total IgA contents in milk and blood of treated cows when the initial period (TW 0) and prior to the <i>MucoCD-I</i> vaccine batch B was used for the first time (TW 16).</p

Immunization schedule.

<p>Immunization schedule.</p

Diseases of treated cows and the TW per vaccinated cow in which diseases emerged.

<p>Diseases of treated cows and the TW per vaccinated cow in which diseases emerged.</p

Correlations between anti-<i>C</i>. <i>diff</i>., total IgA and the main production factors in milk of treated cows (n = 9).

<p>Correlations between anti-<i>C</i>. <i>diff</i>., total IgA and the main production factors in milk of treated cows (n = 9).</p

Milk yield and proximates related to different groups and lactation stages.

<p>Milk yield and proximates related to different groups and lactation stages.</p

Anti-<i>C</i>. <i>diff</i>. milk IgA contents in the different lactation stages.

<p>BTC means the "before treatment control" value of all cows in frame for vaccination. The lactation stages are defined as “early” for ≤ 100 DiL, “mid” for 101–200 DiL and “late” for ≥ 201 DiL. On the ordinate, <i>C</i>. <i>diff</i>. specific milk IgA concentrations are depicted as LSM ± SD and presented comparatively for the BTC (n = 9, black bar), low responder (LR, n = 4, cross-striped bars) and high responder (HR, n = 5, dotted bars) groups. Substantial or highly significant differences versus BTC and between LR and HR in the same lactation stage are marked by brackets with one (P < 0.05) or two asterisks (P < 0.01). Significant differences within the same group related to the early lactation stage are shown in lower case letters (a, b) for P < 0.05.</p

Anti-<i>C</i>. <i>diff</i>. IgA concentrations in milk and in blood during the 31-week treatment period.

<p>The ordinate values in milk (solid lines, top) and in blood (broken lines, bottom) are shown as LSM ± SD per treated groups, the low responder (LR, n = 4, triangles) and the high responder (HR, n = 5, circles). Substantial or highly significant differences between both groups at the same point in time are marked by one (P < 0.05) or two asterisks (P < 0.01). The gray bars indicate the one-time application of <i>MucoCD-I</i> vaccine batch A in TW 3 and the first use of vaccine batch B for injection in TW 17. The vaccination routes were nasal (N), percutaneous (PC), subcutaneous (SC) and intracutaneous (IC). The injected <i>MucoCD-I</i> vaccine was uniquely supplemented with incomplete Freund’s adjuvant (iFA).</p