Abstract

An The aim of the present research was to determine the effect of both the gender of the new-born calf and the pre-partum vaccination status of the dam (ScourGuard-4K) on the chemical composition and some biological parameters of the colostrum. Blood serum was collected from four groups of pregnant dams (four animals in each group) during the dry period (vaccinated buffalo dams pregnant with a male fetus, vaccinated buffalo dams pregnant with a female fetus, unvaccinated buffalo dams pregnant with a male fetus, and unvaccinated buffalo dams pregnant with a female fetus), in the pregnancy period, at the giving-birth period and after 24 hours of postpartum. The levels of insulin-like growth factor hormone (IGF-1) and immunoglobuline G (IgG) were calculated in the maternal blood serum at the assigned periods. Colostrum samples were collected at the birth time and 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after birth for measuring the chemical composition of the colostrum, as well as levels of IgG and IGF-1. Results of the current study showed that colostrum of dams that gave birth to male fetus had a richer content of IgG and IGF-1 levels and a higher percentage of total solids, solids-not-fat, total protein, fat, and lactose. Additionally, vaccination improved the same colostrum components except for IGF-1, which was not positively influenced by the vaccination. Generally, colostrum components were the highest at the birth time, then it decreased gradually up to 72 hours after the birth except that for the percentage of fat and lactose which showed gradual increases up to 72 hours to reach the normal composition of milk.