The condition of piglet immune system during post-weaning period depending on the sex and stress-reactivity

The immune system of 90-day old piglets of SM-1 Novosibirsk breed piglets depends on sex and stress-reactivity. Stress-reactivity was measured using halothane test. The immunologic testing was performed 30 days after weaning. Our results show that overall piglet immune system demonstrated high proliferative activity of T- and B- immunocompetent cells with active formation of mature active T-and B-lymphocytes and did not show signs of immunosuppression. Compared to guilts, barrows had higher concentration of leucocytes, T-and B-lymphocytes, killer-supressor T-cells, activated and poorly differentiated T-lymphocytes. Gilts had higher production of inductor-helper T-cells, IgM and IgG when compared to barrows. Stress-resistant piglets had higher concentration of B-lymphocytes, IgM and IgG whereas stress-sensitive piglets had higher concentration of T-lymphocytes, supressor-killer T-cells and thymus T-lymphocytes. Gilts had higher concentration of inductor-helper T-cells than killer-supressor T-cells. Gilts overall had intensive antibody synthesis, however, stress-resistant gilts had higher IgG synthesis compared to stress-sensitive gilts. In barrows immature T-lymphocytes differentiated mainly into killer-supressor T-cells. The adaptivity of barrow immune system was characterized by high circulatory B-lymphocytes and IgM. Stress-sensitive barrows had lower antibody synthesis levels and higher T-lymphophoesis compared to stress-resistant barrows. 

1. Batalova S. V., Efanova N. V. Immunologicheskaya harakteristika svinej porody SM-1 novosibirskoj selekcii v filogeneze i v sisteme «mat» – potomstvo» (Immunological characteristics of pigs of the SM-1 breed of Novosibirsk selection in phylogenesis and in the «mother-offspring» system), Novosibirsk: OOO «2D», 2014. – 126 p.

2. Efanova N. V., Smirnov P. N., Baksheev A. F., Batalova S. V., Osina L. M., Kotlyarova O. S., Degtyarev E. A., Vdovina G. V., Osadchuk L. V., Garmatarova T. V., Mal’ceva T.V., Borisenko E. A. I mmunomorfologicheskie issledovaniya sel’skohozyajstvennyh zhivotnyh i ptic (Immunomorphological studies of farm animals and birds), Novosibirsk: IC NGAU «Zolotoj kolos», 2019. – 212 p.

3. Karput» I. M. Nezaraznye bolezni molodnyaka (Non-infectious diseases of young animals), Minsk: Uradzhaj, 1989. – P. 7–21.

4. Osina L. M. Immunokompetentnost» svinej s uchetom vliyaniya biologicheskih i tekhnologicheskih faktorov (Immunocompetence of pigs, taking into account the influence of biological and technological factors), Extended abstract of candidate’s thesis, Novosibirsk, 2005, P. 26–27.

5. Plyashchenko S. I., Sidorov V. T. Stressy u sel’skohozyajstvennyh zhivotnyh (Stress in farm animals), Moscow Agropromizdat, 1987, 192 p.

6. Baksheev A. F., Efanova N. V., Smirnov P. N., Dement’eva K. A. Immunologiya svin’i (Pig immunology), Novosibirsk, 2003, 143 p.

7. Efanova N. V., Osina L. M. Aktual’nye voprosy veterinarnoj mediciny: materialy IX Sib. vet. konf., (Topical issues of veterinary medicine: materials of IH Sib. vet. conf.), Novosibirsk, NGAU, 2009, P. 56–57. (In Russ.)

8. Efanova N. V., Osina L. M. Sovremennye problemy proizvodstva i pererabotki produktov zhivotnovodstva (Современные проблемы производства и переработки продуктов животноводства), Proceedings of the III international. scientific-practical conference dedicated. 75th anniversary of the BTF NSAU, October 13–14, Novosibirsk, 2011, P. 77–80. (In Russ.)

9. Tihonov V. N., Zhuchaev K. V. Mikroevolyucionnaya teoriya i praktika porodoobrazovaniya svinej (Microevolutionary theory and practice of pig breed formation), Novosibirsk, 2008, 394 p.

10. Avilov Ch., Svinovodstvo, 2001, No. 4, P. 21–23. (In Russ.)

11. Serdyuk G. N. Immunogeneticheskie markery i ih ispol’zovanie dlya povysheniya effektivnosti selekcii svinej (Immunogenetic markers and their use to improve the efficiency of pig breeding), dis. in the form of scientific. report … Doctor’s thesis, SPb, Pushkin, 2000, 58 p. (In Russ.)

12. Gart V. V., Sebezhko O. I. Vestnik NGAU, 2012, No. 1, ch.2, P. 31–34. (In Russ.)

13. Gart V. V. Stress-ustojchivost» svinej sozdavaemogo sibirskogo tipa novoj myasnoj porody (Stress Resilience of Pigs of the New Siberian Type of New Meat Breed), Extended abstract of kand. s.-h. nauk, Novosibirsk, 1992, 17 p. (In Russ.)

14. Kozhevnikov V. S., Sahno L. V. Novye metody nauchnyh issledovanij v klinicheskoj i eksperimental’noj medicine (New research methods in clinical and experimental medicine), Novosibirsk, 1980, P. 46–48.

15. Frimel» G. Immunologicheskie metody (Immunological methods), Moscow, Medicina, 1987, P. 82–88.