Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-31T14:26:17.994Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Micronutrients and immune function in cattle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2007

Jerry W. Spears
Jerry W. Spears*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science and Interdepartmental Nutrition Program, CB# 7621, North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC 27695–7621, USA
*
Corresponding author:Professor Jerry Spears, fax +1 919 515 4463, email [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Complex inter-relationships exist between certain micronutrients, immune function and disease resistance in cattle. Several micronutrients have been shown to influence immune responses. The relationship between deficiencies of some micronutrients and disease resistance is less clear. A number of studies have indicated that Cr supplementation may improve cell-mediated and humoral immune response as well as resistance to respiratory infections in stressed cattle. With respiratory-disease challenge models Cr generally does not affect disease resistance. Deficiencies of Cu, Se, vitamin E and Co in cattle reduce the ability of isolated neutrophils to kill yeast and/or bacteria. Cu deficiency reduces antibody production, but cell-mediated immunity is generally not altered. However, Cu deficiency appears to reduce production of interferon and tumour necrosis factor by mononuclear cells. Numerous studies have linked low vitamin E and/or Se status to increased susceptibility of dairy cows to intramammary infections. In contrast to findings in laboratory animals, marginal Zn deficiency does not appear to impair antibody production or lymphocyte responsiveness to mitogen stimulation in ruminants. Co deficiency has been associated with reduced resistance to parasitic infections. It is well documented that vitamin A-deficient animals are more susceptible to various types of infections. β-Carotene, possibly via its antioxidant properties, may affect immune function and disease resistance independent of its role as a precursor of vitamin A.

Keywords

Immune responsesTrace elementsVitamins
Type
Meeting Report
Information
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 59 , Issue 4 , November 2000 , pp. 587 - 594
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2000

References

Arthington, JD, Corah, LR & Blecha, F (1996) The effect of molybdenum-induced copper deficiency on acute-phase protein concentrations, superoxide dismutase activity, leukocyte numbers, and lymphocyte proliferation in beef heifers inoculated with bovine herpesvirus-1. Journal of Animal Science 74, 211–217.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Arthington, JD, Corah, LR, Blecha, F & Hill, DA (1995) Effect of copper depletion and repletion on lymphocyte blastogenesis and neutrophil bactericidal function in beef heifers. Journal of Animal Science 73, 2079–2085.Google Scholar
Arthington, JD, Corah, LR, Minton, JE, Elsasser, TH & Blecha, F (1997) Supplemental dietary chromium does not influence ACTH, cortisol, or immune responses in young calves inoculated with bovine herpesvirus-1. Journal of Animal Science 75, 217–223.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aziz, ES, Klesium, PH & Frandsen, JC (1984) Effects of selenium on polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in goats. American Journal of Veterinary Research 45, 1715–1718.Google Scholar
Babu, U & Failla, ML (1990) Respiratory burst and Candidacidal activity of peritoneal macrophages are impaired in copper-deficient rats. Journal of Nutrition 120, 1692–1697.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bendich, A (1993) Vitamin E and human immune functions. In Human Nutrition – A Comprehensive Treatise, vol. 8, pp. 217–228 [Klurfeld, DM, editor]. New York: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Boyne, R & Arthur, JR (1979) Alterations of neutrophil function in selenium-deficient cattle. Journal of Comparative Pathology 89, 151–158.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boyne, R & Arthur, JR (1981) Effects of selenium and copper deficiency on neutrophil function in cattle. Journal of Comparative Pathology 91, 271–276.Google Scholar
Boyne, R & Arthur, JR (1986) Effects of molybdenum and iron induced copper deficiency on the viability and function of neutrophils from cattle. Research in Veterinary Science 41, 417–419.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Burton, JL, Mallard, BA & Mowat, DN (1993) Effects of supplemental chromium on immune responses of periparturient and early lactation dairy cows. Journal of Animal Science 71, 1532–1539.Google Scholar
Burton, JL, Mallard, BA & Mowat, DN (1994) Effects of supplemental chromium on antibody responses of newly weaned feedlot calves to immunization with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and parainfluenza 3 virus. Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 58, 148–151.Google Scholar
Burton, JL, Nonneck, BJ, Dubeski, PL, Elsasser, TH & Mallard, BA (1996) Effects of supplemental chromium on production of cytokines by mitogen-stimulated bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Journal of Dairy Science 79, 2237–2246.Google Scholar
Burton, JL, Nonnecke, BJ, Elsasser, TH, Mallard, BA, Yang, WZ & Mowat, DN (1995) Immunomodulatory activity of blood serum from chromium-supplemented periparturient dairy cows. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 49, 29–38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cao, Y, Maddox, JF, Mastro, AM, Scholz, RW, Hildenbrandt, G & Reddy, CC (1992) Selenium deficiency alters the lipoxygenase pathway and mitogenic response in bovine lymphocytes. Journal of Nutrition 122, 2121–2127.Google Scholar
Chang, X, Mallard, BA & Mowat, DN (1994) Proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes of feeder calves in response to chromium. Nutrition Research 14, 851–864.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chang, X, Mallard, BA & Mowat, DN (1996) Effects of chromium on health status, blood neutrophil phagocytosis and in vitro lymphocyte blastogenesis of dairy cows. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 52, 37–52.Google Scholar
Chang, X & Mowat, DN (1992) Supplemental chromium for stressed and growing feeder calves. Journal of Animal Science 70, 559–565.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chang, X, Mowat, DN & Mallard, BA (1995) Supplemental chromium and niacin for stressed feeder calves. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 75, 351–358.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chesters, JK (1997) Zinc. In Handbook of Nutritionally Essential Mineral Elements, pp. 185–230 [O'Dell, BL and Sunde, RA, editors]. New York: Marcel Dekker Inc.Google Scholar
Chew, BP (1987) Vitamin A and carotene on host defense. Journal of Dairy Science 70, 2732–2743.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chew, BP (1993) Role of carotenoids in the immune response. Journal of Dairy Science 76, 2804–2811.Google Scholar
Chirase, NK, Hutcheson, DP & Thompson, GB (1991) Feed intake, rectal temperature, and serum mineral concentrations of feedlot cattle fed zinc oxide or zinc methionine and challenged with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus. Journal of Animal Science 69, 4137–4145.Google Scholar
Daniel, LR, Chew, BP, Tanaka, TS & Tjoelker, LW (1991) In vitro effects of β-carotene and vitamin A on paripartum bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 911–915.Google Scholar
Droke, EA, Gengelbach, GP & Spears, JW (1998) Influence of level and source (inorganic vs organic) of zinc supplementation on immune function in growing lambs. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Science 11, 139–144.Google Scholar
Droke, EA & Loerch, SC (1989) Effects of parenteral selenium and vitamin E on performance, health and humoral immune response of steers new to the feedlot environment. Journal of Animal Science 67, 1350–1359.Google Scholar
Droke, EA & Spears, JW (1993) In vitro and in vivo immunological measurements in growing lambs fed diets deficient, marginal or adequate in zinc. Journal of Nutritional Immunology 2, 71–90.Google Scholar
Droke, EA, Spears, JW, Brown, TT & Qureshi, MA (1993) Influence of dietary zinc and dexamethasone on immune responses and resistance to. Pasteurella hemolytica challenge in growing lambs. Nutrition Research 13, 1213–1226.Google Scholar
Eicher, SD, Morrill, JL, Blecha, F, Chitko-McKown, CG, Anderson, NV & Higgins, JJ (1994) Leukocyte functions of young dairy calves fed milk replacers supplemented with vitamins A and E. Journal of Dairy Science 77, 1399–1407.Google Scholar
Engle, TE, Nockels, CF, Kimberling, CV, Weaber, DL & Johnson, AB (1997) Zinc repletion with organic or inorganic forms of zinc and protein turnover in marginally zinc-deficient calves. Journal of Animal Science 75, 3074–3081.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Erskine, RJ, Eberhart, RJ, Grasso, PJ & Scholz, RW (1989) Induction of. Escherichia coli mastitis in cows fed selenium-deficient or selenium-supplemented diets. American Journal of Veterinary Research 51, 2093–2100.Google Scholar
Erskine, RJ, Eberhart, RJ & Scholz, RW (1990) Experimentally induced. Staphylococcus aureus mastitis in selenium-deficient and selenium-supplemented dairy cows. American Journal of Veterinary Research 51, 1107–1111.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Finch, JM & Turner, RJ (1996) Effects of selenium and vitamin E on the immune responses of domestic animals. Research in Veterinary Science 60, 97–106.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fraker, PJ, Hildebrandt, K & Lueck, RW (1984) Alteration of antibody-mediated responses of suckling mice to T-cell dependent and independent antigens by maternal marginal zinc deficiency: Restoration of responsivity by nutritional repletion. Journal of Nutrition 114, 170–179.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Galyean, ML, Malcolm-Callis, KJ, Gunter, SA & Berrie, RA (1995) Effects of zinc source and level and added copper lysine in the receiving diet on performance by growing and finishing steers. The Professional Animal Scientist 11, 139–148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garber, MJ, Roeder, RA, Davidson, PM, Pumfrey, WM & Schelling, GT (1996) Dose-response effects of vitamin E supplementation on growth performance and meat characteristics in beef and dairy steers. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 76, 63–72.Google Scholar
Gengelbach, GP (1994) Effects of copper deficiency on cellular immunity in cattle. PhD Thesis, North Carolina State University, USA.Google Scholar
Gengelbach, GP & Spears, JW (1998) Effects of dietary copper and molybdenum on copper status, cytokine production, and humoral immune response of calves. Journal of Dairy Science 81, 3286–3292.Google Scholar
Gengelbach, GP, Ward, JD, Spears, JW & Brown, TT (1997) Effects of copper deficiency and copper deficiency coupled with high dietary iron or molybdenum on phagocytic cell function and response of calves to a respiratory disease challenge. Journal of Animal Science 75, 1112–1118.Google Scholar
Grasso, PJ, Scholz, RW, Erskine, RJ & Eberhart, RJ (1990) Phagocytosis, bactericidal activity, and oxidative metabolism of milk neutrophils from dairy cows fed selenium-supplemented and selenium-deficient diets. American Journal of Veterinary Research 51, 269–274.Google Scholar
Hogan, JS, Smith, KL, Weiss, WP, Todhunter, DA & Schockey, WL (1990) Relationships among vitamin E, selenium, and bovine blood neutrophils. Journal of Dairy Science 73, 2372–2378.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jones, DG & Suttle, NF (1981) Some effects of copper deficiency on leukocyte function in sheep and cattle. Research in Veterinary Science 31, 151–156.Google Scholar
Kegley, EB & Spears, JW (1995) Immune response, glucose metabolism, and performance of stressed feeder calves fed inorganic or organic chromium. Journal of Animal Science 73, 2721–2726.Google Scholar
Kegley, EB, Spears, JW & Brown, TT (1996) Immune response and disease resistance of calves fed chromium nicotinic acid complex or chromium chloride. Journal of Dairy Science 79, 1278–1283.Google Scholar
Kegley, EB, Spears, JW & Brown, TT (1997) Effect of shipping and chromium supplementation on performance, immune response, and disease resistance of steers. Journal of Animal Science 75, 1956–1964.Google Scholar
Kincaid, RL, Chew, BP & Cronrath, JD (1997) Zinc oxide and amino acids as sources of dietary zinc for calves: Effects on uptake and immunity. Journal of Dairy Science 80, 1381–1388.Google Scholar
Lindell, SA, Brandt, RT Jr, Milton, JE, Blecha, F, Stokka, GL & Milton, CT (1994) Supplemental Cr and revaccination effects on performance and health of newly weaned calves. Journal of Animal Science 72, Suppl. 1, 133.Google Scholar
MacPherson, A, Gray, D, Mitchell, GBB & Taylor, CN (1987) Ostertagia infection and neutrophil function in cobalt-deficient and cobalt-supplemented cattle. British Veterinary Journal 143, 348–353.Google Scholar
Maddox, JF, Aherne, KM, Reddy, CC & Sordillo, LM (1999) Increased neutrophil adherence and adhesion molecule mRNA expression in endothelial cells during selenium deficiency. Journal of Leukocyte Biology 65, 658–664.Google Scholar
Mathison, GM & Engstrom, DF (1995) Chromium and protein supplements for growing-finishing beef steers fed barley-based diets. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 75, 549–558.Google Scholar
Michal, JJ, Heirman, LR, Wong, TS, Chew, BP, Frigg, M & Voker, L (1994) Modulatory effects of dietary β-carotene on blood and mammary leukocyte function in periparturient dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 77, 1408–1421.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moonsie-Shageer, S & Mowat, DN (1993) Effect of level of supplemental chromium on performance, serum constituents, and immune status of stressed feeder calves. Journal of Animal Science 71, 232–238.Google Scholar
Mowat, DN, Chang, X & Yang, WZ (1993) Chelated chromium for stressed feeder calves. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 73, 49–55.Google Scholar
Oldham, ER, Eberhart, RJ & Muller, LD (1991) Effects of supplemental vitamin A or β-carotene during the dry period and early lactation on udder health. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 3775–3781.Google Scholar
Paterson, JE & MacPherson, A (1990) The influence of a low cobalt intake on the neutrophil function and severity of Ostertagia infection in cattle. British Veterinary Journal 146, 519–530.Google Scholar
Perryman, LE, Leach, DR, Davis, WC, Mickelson, WD, Heller, SR, Ochs, HD, Ellis, JA & Brummerstedt, E (1989) Lymphocyte alterations in zinc-deficient calves with lethal trait A46. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 21, 239–248.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Politis, I, Hidiroglow, M, Batra, TR, Gilmore, JA, Gorewit, RC & Scherf, H (1995) Effects of vitamin E on immune function. American Journal of Veterinary Research 56, 179–184.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Prohaska, JR & Failla, ML (1993) Copper and immunity. In Human Nutrition – A Comprehensive Treatise, vol. 8, pp. 309–332 [Klurfeld, DM, editor]. New York: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Reddy, PG, Morrill, JL, Minocha, HC, Morrill, MB, Dayton, AD & Frey, RA (1986) Effect of supplemental vitamin E on the immune system of calves. Journal of Dairy Science 69, 164–171.Google Scholar
Reffett, JK, Spears, JW & Brown, TT (1988) Effect of dietary selenium on the primary and secondary immune response in calves challenged with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus. Journal of Nutrition 118, 229–235.Google Scholar
Rotruck, JT, Pope, AL, Ganther, HE, Hafeman, DG, Swanson, AB & Hoekstra, WG (1973) Selenium: Biochemical role as a component of glutathione peroxidase. Science 179, 588–590.Google Scholar
Smith, LK, Harrison, JH, Hancock, DD, Todhunter, DA & Conrad, HR (1984) Effect of vitamin E and selenium supplementation on incidence of clinical mastitis and duration of clinical symptoms. Journal of Dairy Science 67, 1293–1300.Google Scholar
Spears, JW, Harvey, RW & Segerson, EC (1986) Effects of marginal selenium-deficiency and winter protein supplementation on growth, reproduction and selenium status of beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 63, 586–594.Google Scholar
Stabel, JR & Spears, JW (1993) Role of selenium in immune responsiveness and disease resistance. In Human Nutrition – A Comprehensive Treatise, vol. 8, pp. 333–356 [Klurfeld, DM, editor]. New York: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Stabel, JR, Spears, JW & Brown, TT (1993) Effect of copper deficiency on tissue, blood chraracteristics, and immune function of calves challenged with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus and. Pasterurella hemolytica. Journal of Animal Science 71, 1247–1255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stabel, JR, Spears, JW, Brown, TT & Brake, J (1989) Selenium effects on glutathione peroxidase and the immune response of stressed calves challenged with. Pasteurella hemolytica. Journal of Animal Science 67, 557–564.Google Scholar
Suttle, NF (1991) The interactions between copper, molybdenum and sulphur in ruminant nutrition. Annual Reviews of Nutrition 11, 121–140.Google Scholar
Suttle, NF & Jones, DG (1986) Copper and disease resistance in sheep: a rare natural confirmation of interaction between a specific nutrient and infection. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 45, 317–325.Google Scholar
Suttle, NF & Jones, DG (1989) Recent developments in trace element metabolism and function: Trace elements, disease resistance and immune responsiveness in ruminants. Journal of Nutrition 119, 1055–1061.Google Scholar
Torre, PM, Harmon, RJ, Hemken, RW, Clark, TW, Trammell, DS & Smith, BA (1996) Mild dietary copper insufficiency depresses blood neutrophil function in dairy cattle. Journal of Nutritional Immunology 4, 3–24.Google Scholar
Torre, PM, Harmon, RJ, Sordillo, LM, Boissonneault, GA, Hemken, RW, Trammell, DS & Clark, TW (1995) Modulation of bovine mononuclear cell proliferation and cytokine production by dietary copper insufficiency. Journal of Nutritional Immunology 3, 3–20.Google Scholar
Vellema, P, Rutten, VPMG, Hoek, A, Moll, L & Wentink, GH (1996) The effect of cobalt supplementation on the immune response in vitamin B12 deficient Texel lambs. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 55, 151–161.Google Scholar
Ward, JD, Gengelbach, GP & Spears, JW (1997) The effects of copper deficiency with or without high dietary iron or molybdenum on immune function of cattle. Journal of Animal Science 75, 1400–1408.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ward, JD & Spears, JW (1999) The effects of low-copper diets with or without supplemental molybdenum on specific immune responses of stressed cattle. Journal of Animal Science 77, 230–237.Google Scholar
Ward, JD, Spears, JW & Kegley, EB (1993) Effect of copper level and source (copper lysine vs copper sulfate) on copper status, performance, and immune response in growing steers fed diets with or without supplemental molybdenum and sulfur. Journal of Animal Science 71, 2748–2755.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weiss, WP, Hogan, JS, Smith, KL & Hoblet, KH (1990) Relationships among selenium, vitamin E, and mammary gland health in commercial dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science 73, 381–390.Google Scholar
Weiss, WP, Hogan, JS, Todhunter, DA & Smith, KL (1997) Effect of vitamin E supplementation in diets with a low concentration of selenium on mammary gland health of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 80, 1728–1737.Google Scholar
White, CL, Kyme, HJ & Barnes, MJ (1994) Marginal zinc deficiency in pregnant Merino ewes. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of Australia 18, 85.Google Scholar
Woolliams, C, Suttle, NF, Woolliams, JA, Jones, DG & Wiener, G (1986) Studies on lambs genetically selected for low and high copper status. 1. Differences in mortality. Animal Production 43, 293–301.Google Scholar
Wright, CL, Spears, JW, Brown, TT, Lloyd, KE & Tiffany, ME (2000) Effects of chromium and copper on performance and immune function of stressed steers. Journal of Animal Science 78, Suppl. 1, 1.Google Scholar
Xin, Z, Waterman, DF, Hemken, RW & Harmon, RJ (1991) Effects of copper status on neutrophil function, superoxide dismutase, and copper distribution in steers. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 3078–3085.Google Scholar
Zobell, DR, Schaefer, AL, LePage, PL, Eddy, L, Briggs, G & Stanley, R (1995) Gestational vitamin E supplementation in beef cows: Effects on calf immunological competence, growth and morbidity. Proceedings of the Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science 46, 464–466.Google Scholar