Effects of cold treatment and ketosis induced by starvation on interferon production in leukocytes of lactating cows.

The production of interferons in blood and milk leukocytes of three groups of cows was measured to determine the effect of 6-days cold treatment (-2 degrees to -8 degrees C) and/or starving. The first group (cold) was treated with low ambient temperature (-2 degrees C to -8 degrees C) 11 hours every day for 6 days, the second (cold and starved) was treated with low temperature and starved for 6 days. The third group (controls) was fed normally and kept in a barn at room temperature (18 degrees to 20 degrees C). The leukocytes of the control and the cold treated cows responded normally to interferon induction with Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) and mitogens: phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (ConA). The cows treated with low temperature and starved for 6 days developed biochemical blood changes of ketosis. Leukocytes of these cows with ketosis produced less interferon (p less than 0.05) than before starvation and less than leukocytes of the control cows and the cold treated cows. It can be assumed that ketosis caused by starving decreases the ability of a cow's leukocytes to produce interferons.