Assessment of the duration of maternal-derived antibodies specific to the Mycoplasma agalactiae vaccine in goat kids.

Background: Contagious agalactia (CA) is one of the most important diseases in the small ruminant industry in Iran. The historical aetiology of this disease is Mycoplasma agalactiae (Ma). The main way to control this disease, in addition to management measures, is vaccination. In ruminant newborns, determining the age of first vaccination against Ma is a challenge due to the interference between colostrum-derived maternal immunity and vaccination-induced immunity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the consistency of maternal-derived antibodies specific to the Ma in goat kids blood serum born from the vaccinated does.

Objectives: Dtermination of level of antibody against Ma in goat kids born from vaccinated dams against Ma. Assessment of duration of protective level of maternal derived antibody in goat kids serum, after receiving colostrum from vaccinted mother with Ma vaccine. Determination the best time vaccination against Ma in goat kids receiving colostrum from vaccinated dams.

Methods: 20 Saanen goat kids were studied in two groups of 10 animals including control (receiving colostrum from unvaccinated does) and treatment (receiving colostrum from vaccinated does). Indirect Elisa was used to evaluate serum specific antibodies to Ma in goat kids (control and treatment groups) from birth to 100 days of age.

Results: After receiving a sufficient amount of colostrum, the goat kids in the treatment group had a significantly higher S/P% than the control group until 56 days after birth (p < 0.05) and at 70-100 days after birth, there was no significant difference between the treatment and control groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: This study showed that 56-70 days of age could be a good age to give the first dose of CA vaccine in goat kids, but more studies are needed on the effectiveness of this vaccine at this age.