Publication Date

5-1992

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Gordon Jones, James Worthington, Elmer Gray, Cheryl Davis

Degree Program

Department of Agriculture

Degree Type

Master of Science

Abstract

An investigation into the genetic differences in the humoral immune response of swine following vaccination with a sheep red blood cell solution (SRBC) and a commercially prepared Pasteurella multocida (serotype A) bacterin (PmA) was conducted on a total of 268 pigs from two individual trials. This study was also conducted to evaluate the humoral immune response of pigs to a non-pathogen (SPEC) and a known pathogen to swine (PmA). The pigs used in the first trial were from 22 litters born between January 1991 and July 1991. The pigs consisted of Hampshire x Yorkshire (n=114), purebred Yorkshire (n=70) and Hampshire (n=17). Individual pigs were vaccinated at five and eight weeks of age with 2 ml of a 5% SRBC solution and 1 ml of a killed PmA bacterin. AL 11 weeks of age 8 uE of blood was collected frun each animal and serum prepared to determine antibody titer levels against the two antigens by agglutination methods. Pigs utilized in the second study consisted of purebred Duroc (n=11), Haupshire (n= 10), Landrace (n=12) and Yorkshire (n=11) and crossbred Hampshire X Durcc (n= 12) and Yorkshire X Landxace (n=12). Results of trial 1 indicate that breed of pig affected the immune response against both PmA (P<.01) and SRBC (P<.01), with the Hampshire x Yorkshire crossbred pigs having higher titer levels against the PmA than either Hampshire or Yorkshire purebred pigs. The purebred Hampshire were not statistically different from either the purebred Yorkshire or the Hampshire x Yorkshire crossbred pigs in their antibody response to SRBC; however, the Hampshire x Yorkshire crossbred pigs were statistically higher than the Yorkshire pigs. Results from trial 2 indicate highly significant (P<.01) breed differences in the humoral immune response to PmA. Purebred Landrace pigs were superior to both Duroc and Hampshire purebred pigs in their immune response to PmA. Purebred Yorkshire and crossbred Yorkshire X Landrace pigs were superior to purebred Durtcs in their immune response to PmA. NO other significant differences among breeds of pigs occurred in trial 2.

A low positive correlation of .22 was found between the pigs' antibody responses to PmA and SRBC in trial 1. Correlation differences among breeds were found between average daily gain while an test and the humoral immune response to both PmA and SRBC. Results suggest that further studies into breed differences of the immune response in swine are warranted. Results also suggest that further studies are needed to evaluate sheep /Ed blood cells as a suitable antigen When conducting research to analyze the humoral immune response in swine.

Disciplines

Agriculture | Animal Sciences | Life Sciences | Meat Science

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