ABSTRACT
Objective
There is evidence that maternal immunity changes from type 1 (cell-mediated response)
to predominantly type 2 (antibody-mediated immune response) during pregnancy. Lack
of this shift in maternal immune response may contribute to unsuccessful pregnancy
in animals. Changes in estradiol and progesterone during the estrous cycle affect
immune function and potentially change the type 1–type 2 balance. The objective of
this study was to examine the relationship between relative balance of type 1 and
type 2 immunity at the time of insemination and fertility in beef cows, using a nanoparticle
probe-enabled blood test.
Materials and Methods
Angus-Hereford cows (n = 394) were synchronized with a 5-d CO-Synch controlled internal
drug release (CIDR) fixed-time AI protocol. Estrus behavior was monitored using estrus
detection aids and visual observation from CIDR removal until the day of AI. At the
time of AI, a blood sample was collected from all animals to determine relative ratio
between type 1 and type 2 and serum progesterone concentrations. A rapid blood test
(D2Dx;
Tsai et al., 2021.
) was used to assess the type 1–type 2 immunity balance. Pregnancy was determined
by ultrasound 48 to 63 d after AI.Results and Discussion
Overall pregnancy per AI (P/AI) was 51%. Mean relative type 1–type 2 immunity balance
as determined by the D2Dx immunity test was different (P < 0.05) between nonpregnant and pregnant cows. There was a negative relationship
between relative type 1–type 2 immunity balance and probability of P/AI (P < 0.05). As the immunity balance shifted more toward type 2 immunity (smaller type
1–type 2 value), probability of P/AI increased. Cows detected in estrus had a lesser
type 1–type 2 immunity score value compared with cows without estrus (P < 0.05). There was no correlation between serum progesterone concentrations and relative
type 1–type 2 immunity balance.
Implications and Applications
The results indicate that the measurement of the relative type 1–type 2 immunity balance
at the time of AI may be used as a potential marker for pregnancy prediction in beef
cows.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 3,
2021
Received:
August 2,
2021
Footnotes
One author is a co-owner and officer in Nano Discovery Inc. Products from Nano Discovery Inc. were used in this study. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
