ImmunIGY, the Ground-breaking Calf Colostrum Test
Co-developed by SOMA Bioscience, Synergy Farm Health & the Buitelaar Group at Buitelaar’s Long Lane Development Farm with the overriding goal of reducing antibiotic usage across the industry.
This new to the market revolutionary lateral flow test that directly measures the amount of immunoglobulin (antibody) the calf has received via its colostrum intake, which for the very first time can be undertaken upon calf entry to the rearing unit, bringing an array of benefits to the dairy farmer, the rearer and the entire supply chain.
Background
It is usual for calves to be born with little or no immunoglobulins, so passive transfer of immunity is required for adequate health. Such passive transfer of immunity is normally gained from the intake of a sufficient volume of good quality colostrum by the calf in the first few hours after birth. Whilst several immunoglobulins form part of the bovine immune system (notably IgM, IgA and IgG), IgG is most abundant and responsible for fighting invading pathogens.
Given that inadequate transfer of passive immunity is linked to impaired health and high morbidity in new-born calves, measuring the levels of IgG in new-born calves, particularly in the first week of life, is recognised worldwide as good practice and recognised to reduce the risk of calves receiving inadequate passive immunity.
The Test
The ImmunIGY Bovine IgG test is a rapid test for on-farm use to assess levels of Bovine IgG in capillarised whole blood. The ground-breaking test is ideal for testing both on farm in the first week of life and at entry to the rearing unit or collection centre.
This means the ImmunIGY test will allow farms to adopt their own routine assessment for Failure Passive Transfer (FPT), enable vets to carry it with them as an on-farm test and, revolutionarily, allow other industry stakeholders, such as supply chains to allow early identification of suboptimal calves as they come into a rearing unit.
The simple on-farm test that can be administered by farmers themselves, and only requires a sample of 10μl of capillarised whole blood taken by lancet. After just 10 minutes of incubation, the lateral flow device (LFD) can be scanned for an immediate (4 seconds) result, providing quick and low-cost identification of FPT.
Key Advantages
Allowing for monitoring of passive failure transfer across the dairy sector without the need for a veterinary surgeon onsite, the ImmunIGY test will see health, productivity and sustainability improved, and antimicrobial usage, with the consequent risk of the development of antimicrobial resistance, reduced. Notably, this test now extends its reach by allowing the detection of immunoglobulin levels in older calves under 40 days.
The test will therefore be influential in driving increasingly sustainable systems and therefore improve the quality of the supply chain.
The early identification of FPT and sub-optimal calves can:
- Allow feedback to supplying farms, enabling producers to make changes to management to reduce the risk of future failures of passive transfer.
- Allow the Collection Centres & Rearers to risk rate and grade calves, identifying which are more robust and which are more susceptible to disease.
- Lead to specifically targeting calves based on the results of the test, with different management, focusing on calves that may be more susceptible to problems.
- Enable rewarding farms that supply calves with a high colostrum level with premiums.
- Lead to predicting the likely performance of each calf, based on a previously developed algorithm.
- Reassure Rearers that they are receiving a healthy, thriving calf that has received the correct colostrum levels which may allow rearers to gain extra profits through increases efficiencies.
For more information on the test, click here:
Note: Bimeda Animal Health hold the global sales and distribution rights of the test.
