Thymus-derived lymphocytes from weather-stressed calves decline in response t6 Concanavalin A (Con A) and Pokeweed Mitogen (PWM) as the age of calf increases. Maximal response is from 24-hr old normal calves; very little response is from Weak Calf Syndrome (WCS) calves. This depressed response reflects the observed thymus degeneration in WCS calves and contributes to the animals\u27 impaired immune system development

Kvasnicka, William G.

Manak, Rita C.

English

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service, Lincoln, Nebraska 1982 Preliminary Observations on the Immune Status of Newborn Normal and Weak Calf Syndrome Calves Rita C. Manak U.S. Meat Animal Research Center William G. Kvasnicka U.S. Meat Animal Research Center Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/hruskareports  Part of the Animal Sciences Commons Manak, Rita C. and Kvasnicka, William G., "Preliminary Observations on the Immune Status of Newborn Normal and Weak Calf Syndrome Calves" (1982). Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center. 23. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/hruskareports/23 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service, Lincoln, Nebraska at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE IMMUNE STATUS OF NEWBORN NORMAL ANDWEAK CALF SYNDROME CALVESRitaC.Manak1andWilliamG.KvasnickaSummaryThymus-derivedlymphocytesfromweather-stressedcalves decline in re-sponset6 ConcanavalinA (Con A) andPokeweedMitogen(PWM) as-theageofcalfincreases.Maximalresponseisfrom24-hr old normalcalves;very littlere-sponse is from Weak Calf Syndrome(WCS)calves.Thisdepressedresponsereflectstheobservedthymusdegenera-tioninWCS calvesandcontributestotheanimals'impairedimmunesystemde-velopment.IntroductionWCS is a collectionof symptomsthatincludes severe weakness, difficulty instandingandsubsequentlynursing,swol-lenhockandcarpaljoints, bloodysynovialfluid,susceptibilitytosecondary infection,and reddened muzzle. Upon postmortemexamination,we observed enlarged andhemorrahagic lymph nodes and spleen,gastroenteritis,and degenerate thymus.Most weak calves are affected by 7 daysof age and frequently die within 3 to 4days. WCS appears to be associated withweather stress, and an increased fre-quency occurs during prolonged periodsof cold, rainy weather. Seven percent ofapproximately 4,000 calves died withWCS symptoms during the cold, rainy1980 calving season compared to lessthan 0.5% in the mild 1981 season. Be-cause of the observed susceptibility toinfection and abnormal lymphoid organsof affected calves, we assessed the im-mune statusof WCS and normalcalves.MethodsBlood samples and thymus biopsysamples were obtained from age-pairednormal and untreatedWCS calves. Lym-phocytes were enriched from the bloodand frombiopsysamples and assayed fortheir abilityto respond to the immunesti-mulantsCon A and PWM.ResultsFigure1 showsthatweobservednosignificantdifferencebetweenperipheralblood lymphocytesof normalor weakcalvesnoran agedependentpatternofresponsiveness.Similar patternswereobservedwith both Con A and PWM.However,Figure2 shows thatthymus-derivedlymphocytesfromnormalcalvesrespond maximally to Con A whenobtainedfrom24 hr-oldcalves.This re-sponsedeclinedby 10 daysof agefromofle-thirdto one-sixththe observedre-1RitaC. Manakis a researchphysiologistatMARC.sponse of peripherallymphocytes.A simi-lar patternof decreasing responsivenesswith age was observed with normalthymocytes when assayed with PWM.However, in contrast to thymocytesfromnormal calves, those from WCS calvesshowedvery littleresponsetoeitherPWMor Con A (9% that of normal thymocyteCon A response and 11% normalthymo-cyte PWM response).When cells from normal or WCSanimals were assayed in the presenceofWCS serum insteadof normalserum, nodifferenceswere observed, indicatingtheabsence of a serum-associatedWCS fac-tor.The depressed responseof theWCSthymus-derived lymphocyteswould cor-roborate the increased susceptibility ofthese calves to such illnesses as.pneumoniaor scours. The immune sys-temof cattleandof othermammalianspe-cies is incompletelydeveloped at birtiAntibodiesare present in very low leve :in thecalf and must be acquiredfrom t~:dam throughthe colostrum within houl :afterbirth.Developmentof the calf's ov.immunesystemcontinuesfrom6 mont~:to a year after birth. In this process, th :thymusplaysan importantdevelopment.role, and its impairmentwould affectth :animal'ssubsequent resistanceto infe(.tion.Thymus degenerationcan be the rE.suit of malnutrition, either a genenstarvation or deficiency of a particulcrmineral,such as zinc. Prenatal virus ir .fectioncauses a similar degenerate th) .mus in laboratoryanimals such as mic Jandcouldbe causativein cattleWC~.The relativerolesof these factorsin WC jare not yet established,nor is the role ( Iadditionalstress,such as weatherstres! ,clearlyunderstood.ONConA r..pon.e of WCS ondnormalperipherallymphocytes 121 wcs2 3 4AGE OF CALF(MYSI10ConA response of WCSand normalthymocyteFigure2.- ---- - - ---x KN_wcsx- -- - - --- - == ::,.--xx4 5 6 7 8 9 10AGE OF CALF (DAYS)I3023161&1!20 12CLen1&1a:1&18>i=<[..J1&14a:0Figure 1.65wenz 40a..enwet:3w>ex:...J 2wa::

Preliminary Observations on the Immune Status of Newborn Normal and Weak Calf Syndrome Calves

UNL | Libraries

University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research 
Center 
U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural 
Research Service, Lincoln, Nebraska 
1982 
Preliminary Observations on the Immune Status of Newborn 
Normal and Weak Calf Syndrome Calves 
Rita C. Manak 
U.S. Meat Animal Research Center 
William G. Kvasnicka 
U.S. Meat Animal Research Center 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/hruskareports 
 Part of the Animal Sciences Commons 
Manak, Rita C. and Kvasnicka, William G., "Preliminary Observations on the Immune Status of Newborn 
Normal and Weak Calf Syndrome Calves" (1982). Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center. 
23. 
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/hruskareports/23 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research 
Service, Lincoln, Nebraska at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in 
Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University 
of Nebraska - Lincoln. 
PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE IMMUNE STATUS OF NEWBORN NORMAL AND
WEAK CALF SYNDROME CALVES
RitaC.Manak1andWilliamG.Kvasnicka
Summary
Thymus-derivedlymphocytesfrom
weather-stressedcalves decline in re-
sponset6 ConcanavalinA (Con A) and
PokeweedMitogen(PWM) as-theageof
calfincreases.Maximalresponseisfrom
24-hr old normalcalves;very littlere-
sponse is from Weak Calf Syndrome
(WCS)calves.Thisdepressedresponse
reflectstheobservedthymusdegenera-
tioninWCS calvesandcontributestothe
animals'impairedimmunesystemde-
velopment.
Introduction
WCS is a collectionof symptomsthat
includes severe weakness, difficulty in
standingandsubsequentlynursing,swol-
lenhockandcarpaljoints, bloodysynovial
fluid,susceptibilitytosecondary infection,
and reddened muzzle. Upon postmortem
examination,we observed enlarged and
hemorrahagic lymph nodes and spleen,
gastroenteritis,and degenerate thymus.
Most weak calves are affected by 7 days
of age and frequently die within 3 to 4
days. WCS appears to be associated with
weather stress, and an increased fre-
quency occurs during prolonged periods
of cold, rainy weather. Seven percent of
approximately 4,000 calves died with
WCS symptoms during the cold, rainy
1980 calving season compared to less
than 0.5% in the mild 1981 season. Be-
cause of the observed susceptibility to
infection and abnormal lymphoid organs
of affected calves, we assessed the im-
mune statusof WCS and normalcalves.
Methods
Blood samples and thymus biopsy
samples were obtained from age-paired
normal and untreatedWCS calves. Lym-
phocytes were enriched from the blood
and frombiopsysamples and assayed for
their abilityto respond to the immunesti-
mulantsCon A and PWM.
Results
Figure1 showsthatweobservedno
significantdifferencebetweenperipheral
blood lymphocytesof normalor weak
calvesnoran agedependentpatternof
responsiveness.Similar patternswere
observedwith both Con A and PWM.
However,Figure2 shows thatthymus-
derivedlymphocytesfromnormalcalves
respond maximally to Con A when
obtainedfrom24 hr-oldcalves.This re-
sponsedeclinedby 10 daysof agefrom
ofle-thirdto one-sixththe observedre-
1RitaC. Manakis a researchphysiologist
atMARC.
sponse of peripherallymphocytes.A simi-
lar patternof decreasing responsiveness
with age was observed with normal
thymocytes when assayed with PWM.
However, in contrast to thymocytesfrom
normal calves, those from WCS calves
showedvery littleresponsetoeitherPWM
or Con A (9% that of normal thymocyte
Con A response and 11% normalthymo-
cyte PWM response).
When cells from normal or WCS
animals were assayed in the presenceof
WCS serum insteadof normalserum, no
differenceswere observed, indicatingthe
absence of a serum-associatedWCS fac-
tor.
The depressed responseof theWCS
thymus-derived lymphocyteswould cor-
roborate the increased susceptibility of
these calves to such illnesses as
.pneumoniaor scours. The immune sys-
temof cattleandof othermammalianspe-
cies is incompletelydeveloped at birti
Antibodiesare present in very low leve :
in thecalf and must be acquiredfrom t~:
dam throughthe colostrum within houl :
afterbirth.Developmentof the calf's ov.
immunesystemcontinuesfrom6 mont~:
to a year after birth. In this process, th :
thymusplaysan importantdevelopment.
role, and its impairmentwould affectth :
animal'ssubsequent resistanceto infe(.
tion.
Thymus degenerationcan be the rE.
suit of malnutrition, either a genen
starvation or deficiency of a particulcr
mineral,such as zinc. Prenatal virus ir .
fectioncauses a similar degenerate th) .
mus in laboratoryanimals such as mic J
andcouldbe causativein cattleWC~.
The relativerolesof these factorsin WC j
are not yet established,nor is the role ( I
additionalstress,such as weatherstres! ,
clearlyunderstood.
ON
ConA r..pon.e of WCS ondnormalperipherallymphocytes 121 wcs
2 3 4
AGE OF CALF(MYSI
10
ConA response of WCSand normalthymocyte
Figure2.
- ---- - - ---
x KN
_wcs
x
- -- - - --
- - == ::,.--xx
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
AGE OF CALF (DAYS)
I
30
23
16
1&1
!2
0 12CL
en
1&1
a:
1&18>
i=
<[
..J
1&14a:
0
Figure 1.
6
5
w
en
z 4
0
a..
en
w
et:
3
w
>
ex:
...J 2w
a::


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Preliminary Observations on the Immune Status of Newborn Normal and Weak Calf Syndrome Calves

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