Yeast cell wall supplementation alters aspects of the physiological and acute phase responses of crossbred heifers to an endotoxin challenge

• Published in: Innate immunity (London, England) England), 2013-08, Vol.19 (4), p.411-419
• Main Authors: Sanchez, Nicole C Burdick, Young, Tanner R, Carroll, Jeffery A, Corley, Jimmie R, Rathmann, Ryan J, Johnson, Bradley J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute-Phase Reaction - immunology; Acute-Phase Reaction - prevention & control; Administration, Intravenous; Animals; Body Temperature - drug effects; Breeding; Cattle; Cell Wall - immunology; Cytokines - genetics; Cytokines - metabolism; Dietary Supplements; Endotoxins - immunology; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Hydrocortisone - blood; Interleukin-6 - genetics; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Lipopolysaccharides - immunology; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - immunology
• ISSN: 1753-4259; 1753-4267
• DOI: 10.1177/1753425912469673

A study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding yeast cell wall (YCW) products on the physiological and acute phase responses of crossbred, newly-received feedlot heifers to an endotoxin challenge. Heifers (n = 24; 219 ± 2.4 kg) were separated into treatment groups receiving either a control diet (n = 8), YCW-A (2.5 g/heifer/d; n = 8) or YCW-C (2.5 g/heifer/d; n = 8) and were fed for 52 d. On d 37 heifers were challenged i.v. with LPS (0.5 µg/kg body mass) and blood samples were collected from −2 h to 8 h and again at 24 h relative to LPS challenge. There was an increase in vaginal temperature in all heifers post-LPS, with YCW-C maintaining a lower vaginal temperature post-LPS than control and YCW-A heifers. Sickness behavior scores increased post-LPS in all heifers, but were not affected by treatment. Cortisol concentrations were greatest in control heifers post-LPS compared with YCW-A or YCW-C heifers. Concentrations of IFN-γ and TNF-α increased post-LPS, but were not affected by treatment. Serum IL-6 concentrations increased post-LPS and were greater in control heifers than YCW-A and YCW-C heifers. These data indicate that YCW supplementation can decrease the physiological and acute phase responses of newly-received heifers following an endotoxin challenge.