The acquired immunity by newborns calves is dependent of ingestion and absorption of adequate quantity of colostral immunoglobulins. Supplemental pooled colostrum can be an important procedure to correct miscarried management. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of additional colostrum of super immunological quality at 12 hours of live on total serum protein and immunoglobulin G concentration in newborn calves. Fourty five newborn calves, separated in two treatments: Treatment 1 - additional colostrum 12 hours after birth (10% body weight) and Treatment 2 - control, were evaluated. According to the initial level of passive immunity, the animals were allocated to the groups described as follows: Group 1 (low level supplemented) IgG<20 mg/mL); Group 2 (high level suplemented) IgG> 20 mg/mL; Group 3 (low level control) IgG<20 mg/mL); and Group 4 (high level control) IgG> 20 mg/mL. The average concentration of pooled colostrum was 68,49 ± 4,21 mg/mL. In the animals with adequate levels of antibodies, despite of the additional colostrum, the concentrations were similar at all ages, without significant differences. However, in the group with low level of passive immunity the additional colostrum promoted a compensation effect with animals reaching the levels comparable with the ones with normal initial concentration of serum antibodies
antibodies; esophagic tube; newborn calves; pooled colostrum
