[General adaptation syndrome (Selye) in cattle. 6. Influence of stress conditions on antibody levels after active and passive immunization as well as on the topographic distribution of various groups of pathogens in the gastrointestinal canal].

The action of experimental and natural stressors on the humoral immune response of calf was studied. Particular attention was given to the H-antigen of S.dublin and equine erythrocytes,the degradation rate of passively acquired humoral antibody, as well as the quantity and topographic distribution of certain groups of germs in the gastrointestinal tract. The following results were obtained:1. Antibody formation was impededby repeated or lasting stressor effect (ACTH injections). 2. The immunological reactions of the calves involved to antigen injection immediately after transport into the rearing unit were stronger than those to antigen application three days from transfer. Immunisation of animals transferred to rearing or fattening units, therefore, should be applied immediately after arrival in the new accomodation, but no interval of three or four days should be allowed. 3. Antibody formation was no longer impaired in calves immunised two weeks from transfer, as compared to those immunised immediately after arrival in the rearing unit. This seemed to suggest that by that time adaptation of the animals to their new environment had been almost complete. 4. Lasting stress (slow drip infusion of ACTH, cortisol, colibacteria or coli-endotoxin) led to no detectable by paper electrophoresis. 5. Calves that had been given three weekly dosesof 1 IU ACTH per kilogram of live weight through four weeks,did not differ,withthe authors'method,from the controls regarding the decomposition rate of passively acquired humoral antibody. 6. ACTH slow drip infusions of calves over several days caused higher concentrations of colibacteria throughout the intestinal tract, including those proximal sections of the small intestine in which little or no colibacteria should occur under physiological conditions in calves of that age.