Research Summary - 3
Evaluating intestinal integrity and inflammatory genes in beef-on-dairy calves with and without colostrum
| Date/Time: |
9/13/2025
09:45
|
| Author: |
Kagan Migl |
| Clinic: |
TTU |
| City, State, ZIP: |
Amarillo, TX 79106 |
Kaden Migl, BS
1
;
1Texas Tech University
Introduction:
Colostrum consumption is crucial for improving the intestinal health of pre-weaned calves and reducing the incidence of gut diseases. This study aimed to assess ileum mRNA expression by quantifying concentrations of tight junction proteins and inflammatory genes in neonatal beef-on-dairy calves (n=24). Calves were randomly assigned to either a colostrum-deprived control group (n=12) or a colostrum treatment group (n=12), with the latter receiving 2.8 L of pooled colostrum via oral gastric tube within 6 hours after birth. Colostrum quality was 26% on the Brix scale. At 9 days of age, 6 calves in each group were inoculated with Salmonella Typhimurium. Inoculated calves were harvested, and intestinal samples were collected at 72h post-inoculation. While non-inoculated calves were harvested, and intestinal samples were collected at 23 days of age. Ileum tissue samples were collected from all calves for total RNA extraction and gene expression analysis via RT-qPCR. Relative gene expression abundance was normalized using housekeeping genes (GAPDH, B2M, ACTB). Genes of interest included specific intestinal epithelial markers (KRT8, FABP2), tight junction proteins (TJP1, CLDN1, CLDN4), inflammatory markers (IL6, TNFa, NFKB), and the anti-inflammatory gene (IL10). At 72h post-inoculation, the treatment-inoculated calves had a tendency (P=0.07) for greater CLDN1 expression relative to the control-inoculated calves. At 23 days of age, the non-inoculated treatment group had a tendency (P=0.07) for greater NFKB expression compared with the non-inoculated control group. Our results suggest a positive relationship between colostrum consumption and the intestinal health of beef-on-dairy calves regardless of induction of inflammation.
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