The
immunoglobulin (Ig) A concentration in swine colostrum was determined by the single radial immunodiffusion method, using 157 samples collected from the same number of farm-raised sows in the Yamaguchi Prefecture of Japan during 1976 and 1977. The mean
IgA value was 12.26 +/- 3.30 mg/ml, and the maximum and minimum values were 28.14 mg/ml and 5.63 mg/ml, respectively. To determine factors influencing the
IgA concentration in swine colostrum, the following items were analyzed in the present study: season, district, breed, number of parturitions, udder section from which samples were collected, kind of feed, vaccinations of
swine (erysipelas live-organism
vaccine,
hog cholera live-virus
vaccine, Japanese encephalitis live-virus
vaccine, and transmissible
gastroenteritis live-virus
vaccine), type of farming, and number of sows raised on a farm. Relationships between the
IgA concentration in swine colostrum and each of these 12 items were analyzed. Of the 12 items, breed and number of parturitions were the most influential on the
IgA concentration in colostra of farm-raised sows. Season, district, and vaccination with transmissible
gastroenteritis live-virus
vaccine were moderately influential. Udder section, kind of feed, vaccinations of
swine (erysipelas live-organism
vaccine,
hog cholera live-virus
vaccine, and
Japanese encephalitis live-virus
vaccine), type of farming, and number of farm-raised sows were slightly influential. The multiple correlation coefficient obtained was 0.5887 (P greater than 0.05).