THE TRANSITION PERIOD (part 2): How can we strengthen immunity?
The transition period represents a time of immunological vulnerability for dairy cows, driven by hormonal shifts, metabolic demands, and environmental stressors. These changes result in increased susceptibility to diseases, including mastitis. However, there are several effective strategies available to enhance immunity and reduce disease risk during this critical time. This article explores these strategies in detail to help optimize cow health during the transition period.
Strategies to Enhance Immunity in Transition Cows
Not all cows show signs of immune dysfunction, and it’s now clear that a variety of management practices can positively influence the immunity of transition cows. There are several strategies to enhance immune function and reduce susceptibility to mastitis and other transition diseases:
1. Genetic selection for immunity: Genetic tools are available to select for cattle with inherent disease resistance, particularly to mastitis.
By incorporating immunoresilience into breeding programs, farms can reduce the risk of infectious diseases during the transition period.
2. Environmental management: Hygiene is essential to reduce pathogen exposure. Adequate ventilation and heat stress abatement are key to minimizing the physiological stress that can impair immune function. Managing social stress by reducing frequent pen movements and ensuring stable group housing can help prevent immunosuppression related to social dynamics.
3. Vaccination protocols: Vaccinating cows during the dry period or in a blanket herd vaccination program can improve immunity before calving. Specific vaccines targeting mastitis-causing pathogens (e.g., Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus, non-aureus Staphylococci, and Streptococcus uberis) can help reduce the impact of mastitis by boosting antibody production.
Tailoring vaccination schedules based on individual herd risk factors and pathogen prevalence is important for optimizing outcomes.
4. Nutritional strategies
- Anionic diets: These diets are commonly used to manage milk fever but also support calcium homeostasis, which is essential for proper immune cell function and 2nd messenger signaling.
- Antioxidants: Key antioxidants, such as vitamin E and selenium, are crucial for maintaining immune function. Deficiencies in these nutrients can lead to immunosuppression, increasing susceptibility to diseases like mastitis and metritis.
- Immunomodulatory feed additives: New products, including prebiotics, probiotics, and botanicals, are continually being introduced to the market. It is essential to critically evaluate their effectiveness through ruminant-specific studies, as the complex physiology of the ruminant digestive system poses a significant challenge. Research supports the use of yeast-based products, such as hydrolyzed yeast, which can enhance both innate and adaptive immunity in cattle.
Conclusion
By applying a combination of genetic selection, environmental management, vaccination protocols, and nutritional interventions, veterinarians can help optimize immune function and reduce disease risk during the transition period. Tailored approaches, based on herd-specific needs and individual cow health, are crucial for maintaining long-term farm productivity and cow welfare.
Article written by Shannon Walsh, DVM
Technical Services Veterinarian (Ruminants)
REFERENCE
Chase, C. C. L., Parreño, V., Bradford, S., Sordillo, L. M., Prenafeta, A., Piepers, S., Saif, L. J., Strain, S., Timsit, E., Woolums, M. E., Thiry, E., Newcomer, B. W., Aldridge, B. M., Nodar, P., & Casademunt, C. (2022). Bovine immunity: Making immunology and vaccinology come alive (DL: GI 1666-2021). HIPRA, S. A.
