Quantitative evaluation of genetic and environmental parameters determining antibody response induced by vaccination against bovine respiratory syncytial virus

The parameters controlling IgG antibody responses induced by vaccination against bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) were investigated in 463 Holstein–Charolais crossbred cattle. Pre- and post-vaccination sera were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for BRSV-specific IgG and IgG2. Year-of-birth, age, sex and pre-existing antibody were significant sources of variation for IgG responses. Pre-vaccination, progeny with a higher proportion of Holstein genes had higher total BRSV-IgG. By Day 35 post-vaccination, heritabilities peaked at 0.26 for total BRSV-IgG and 0.36 for BRSV-IgG1. There was no evidence for interbreed differences between Holstein and Charolais calves, post-vaccination. These results suggest that calf-sire has a major heritable influence on serum IgG levels following BRSV immunisation.