Colostrum and serum lysozyme levels in Mediterranean buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) and in their newborn calves. Veterinary Record. 16;166(3):83-5. 2010

Lysozyme is an antibacterial enzyme that is found in all body fluids except cerebrospinal fluid, sweat and urine. The purpose of this study was to investigate enzyme activity in the colostrum and serum of Mediterranean buffaloes and their newborn calves in the first hours after calving, in order to gain information on the passive immunological status of neonatal buffalo calves. In addition, the correlation between levels of lysozyme and IgG in the serum of the newborn buffalo calves was investigated, in order to evaluate whether this enzyme could be useful as a marker of maternally derived γ-globulin intake. Eight multiparous healthy buffaloes, five to seven years of age, living with their calves in paddocks in the same herd in southern Italy, were studied. The activity of lysozyme was determined using an assay based on the classic lysoplate method of Osserman and Lawlor. The results demonstrate that the activity of lysozyme in the serum of newborn buffalo calves gradually increases during the first 60 hours after birth, and that the activity of lysozyme in colostrum is higher in buffaloes than in cows, suggesting that there may be a critical non-specific defence role for this enzyme in Mediterranean buffaloes, as has been reported for Indian buffaloes. Furthermore, the lysozyme activity in the serum of newborn buffalo calves may originate from gradual absorption following colostral intake and/or from early endogenous synthesis in the first hours of life. Finally, the results show that the serum lysozyme activity of newborn buffalo calves is not useful as a marker of passive IgG intake.