Effect of Supplemental Vitamin E on Antibody Titer in Japanese Black Calves Vaccinated against Bovine Herpesvirus-1

Abstract

We investigated the effect of supplemental vitamin E on antibody titer against bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) in Japanese Black calves after vaccination with modified live virus. Thirty calves kept at the same farm were studied. They were divided into two groups; fifteen calves received 300 IU/day of vitamin E orally from 1 to 3 months of age (VE Group), and the other fifteen calves did not receive vitamin E supplement (Control Group). BHV-1 modified live vaccine was injected twice to all calves when they were 2 and 3 months of age. Following the vaccination, serum vitamin E concentration and neutralizing antibody titer to BHV-1 were measured over time. VE Group showed higher serum vitamin E at 2, 3 and 4 months of age compared to Control Group (P<0.05). The antibody titer in Control Group was the highest at 1 month of age, and it gradually decreased until 4 months of age. VE Group showed increase in antibody titer at 4 months of age resulting in significant difference (P<0.01) from Control Group. This study demonstrated that vitamin E supplementation to Japanese Black calves could increase antibody production after the second modified live BHV-1 vaccination.