Summer - Classical MileEnd Alpacas

health & welfare antibody transfer
health & welfare antibody transfer
antibody
transfer in the neonatal
camelid
Any new born cria that fails to suckle
and therefore doesn’t get colostrum
is in danger of failure of passive
transfer of immunity. Unless this is
addressed the newborn may be
prey to potentially fatal infections.
Veterinarian Stephen Purdy explains
what colostrum consists of and what
to do to keep at risk crias healthy.
Antibodies
Antibodies are produced by the immune
system in response to antigenic (foreign
molecule) exposure. They are protein
molecules which complex with foreign
substances such as bacteria and viruses within
the body to help remove them. Neonatal
camelids are thought not to be fully capable
of creating antibodies until approximately
eight weeks after birth. Preformed protective
antibodies are transferred to the neonatal
circulation across the intestinal tract from
consumption of the dam’s colostrum, the first
milk after birthing. This transfer occurs during
the first 24 hours after birth only, with most of
the transfer occurring within the first 12 hours.
It is therefore important that the consumption
of antibody rich colostrum occurs shortly after
birth. These antibodies are what protect the
cria from disease while its immune system is
developing.
All immunoglobulins share a basic
structure (figure 1) except camelids and a
few other unrelated species (notably sharks).
The antibodies of major importance in
camelid colostrum are all of the IgG class
(immunoglobulin G). Of three identified so far,
IgG1 has the classical structure and IgG2 and
IgG3 have the heavy chain antibody structure.
IgG1 is the one present in the largest quantity
(Daley, 2007).
Colostrum antibody levels depend on the
immune system competence of the dam, as in
does her immune system respond to foreign
substances The dam’s specific environmental
challenges also determine what antibodies
she produces. Colostrum is also an excellent
source of nutrition for the neonate in addition
to providing the cria with these preformed
antibodies. Colostrum from other species
(most commonly from goats or cows) may
be used if the dam has no milk. Colostrum
quality depends on the level of antibodies
in the dam’s milk. The concentration of IgG
in alpaca colostrum decreases rapidly in the
Figure 1: (a) Classical structure of antibodies and (b)
heavy-chain antibody structure. (L = light molecular
weight; H = heavy molecular weight;
V = variable region; C = constant region)
first 24 hours (Daley, 2007). Consumption
depends on the nursing of the cria and
amount of milk produced by the dam. Slow
or premature crias or reluctant mothers will
decrease that. Absorption of antibodies also
depends on early consumption by the cria
before the gut becomes impervious to large
protein molecules. Interference at any step
in the process will affect the antibody level in
the cria and increase the risk of infection, as
these maternally derived antibodies are used
for protection while the cria’s own immune
system undergoes maturation during the first
two months of life.
16 Alpaca World Magazine
summer 2010
summer 2010
Alpaca World Magazine 17