A major problem in camel productivity is the high mortality rate of camel
calves in the first 3 months. The causes for mortality are mainly poor management
practice and infectious diseases. The purpose of this research, carried out on a ranch
in Kenya, was to determine the immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration in camel
colostrum as well as the extent of the calves' passive immunization by maternal
antibodies. IgG concentration in colostrum and in the serum of the calf were
measured during the first 3 d of life. Evaluation was carried out by comparing the
respective values with those for horses and cattle. The average IgG concentration in
the camel colostrum was higher than that found in literature for horses and cattle.
IgG concentration in the serum of the camel calves reached its maximum 24 h after
birth. In 39% of the examined calves, this maximum concentration was below 4 g/l,
which is considered to be the critical value in horses and cattle. 61% of the calves
achieved an IgG concentration of over 4 g/l. Since there is no correlation between
IgG level in colostrum and early mortality, the results indicate that low colostrum
intake during the first 24 h of life and not low IgG concentration in colostrum is
presumably one of the main causes of early calf mortality. Therefore, it was
recommended that the care of the newborn calves by herdsmen should be improved.
The effect of a clinoptilolite based mineral adsorber on concentrations of immunoglobulin G in the serum of newborn calves fed different amounts of colostrum