Effects of β‐carotene‐enriched dry carrots on β‐carotene status and colostral immunoglobulin in β‐carotene‐deficient Japanese Black cows |
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| Authors: | Yoshitaka Nishijima Saya Taniguchi Shuntaro Ikeda Kenichi Yoshitani Takashi Hamano Hiroshi Tani Masahiko Fujita Kenji Murakami Keisuke Kogusa Kenji Sato Miki Sugimoto Shinichi Kume |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan;2. Shiga Prefectural Livestock Technology Promotion Center, Hino, Japan;3. Shiga Prefectural Livestock Hygiene Service Center, Ohmihachiman, Japan;4. Chubu Shiryo Co. Ltd, Ohbu, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Data from 18 β‐carotene‐deficient Japanese Black cows were collected to clarify the effects of feeding β‐carotene‐enriched dry carrots on β‐carotene status and colostral immunoglobulin (Ig) in cows. Cows were assigned to control or carrot groups from 3 weeks before the expected calving date to parturition, and supplemental β‐carotene from dry carrots was 138 mg/day in the carrot group. Plasma β‐carotene concentrations in the control and carrot groups at parturition were 95 and 120 μg/dL, and feeding dry carrots slightly improved plasma β‐carotene at parturition. Feeding dry carrots increased colostral IgA concentrations in cows and tended to increase colostral IgG1, but colostral IgM, IgG2, β‐carotene and vitamin A were not affected by the treatment. Feeding dry carrots had no effects on plasma IgG1, IgA and IgM concentrations in cows, but plasma IgG1 concentrations decreased rapidly from 3 weeks before the expected calving date to parturition. These results indicate that feeding β‐carotene‐enriched dry carrots is effective to enhance colostral IgA and IgG1 concentrations in β‐carotene‐deficient cows. |
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| Keywords: | bovine colostrum carrot Immunoglobulin β ‐carotene |
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