The effect of different quantities and compositions of pelleted diets on immune response of mares during the production of anti-tetanus sera.

Research was carried out into the effect that different quantities and compositions of concentrated portions of meal had on certain haematological properties and on the immune response of mares in the course of hyper-immune antitetanus sera production. The experiment involved 24 Nonius and Lipizzaner cross-bred mares divided into two groups of 12 animals each, a control group and a trial group. The experiment lasted 12 months, with haematological and immunological tests being carried out every 30 days. During the course of the experiment each mare was subjected to 11 immunisation cycles, and in that period no mare fell ill. Leukocyte and haematocrit counts revealed no differences between the control and the test groups throughout the entire duration of the experiment. Following the second immunisation cycle the leukocyte count increased in both groups of mares, remaining significantly higher than the normal physiological value in horses throughout the experiment. The concentrated portion of meal, differing both in quality and quantity, had no influence on leucocyte count and haematocrit level in the mares throughout the experiment. However, the immunodiffusion titre in the test group did show a slightly higher value of ID-titre than in the control group, indicating that the quantitatively and qualitatively differing portions of meal had a more positive effect on immune response and anti-tetanus anti-body titre in the test group than it did in the control group.