Cell culture propagation of calf rotavirus and detection of rotavirus specific antibody in colostrum and milk of cows and buffaloes.

A bovine rotavirus was adapted to serial propagation in Madin Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells. Virus of cell culture origin when examined by electron microscopy exhibited characteristic rotavirus morphology and had a typical RNA electropherotype on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Mean IgG concentration in the first colostral whey was 62.80 +/- 6.56 mg/ml in cows and 104.40 +/- 31.12 mg/ml and 2.52 +/- 0.28 mg/ml respectively. The geometric mean neutralising antibody titre against bovine rotavirus in the first colostral whey was 279 in cows and 139 in buffaloes. It declined to 10 and 13 (respectively) by the tenth day.