The use of non-immune plasma powder in the prophylaxis of neonatal Escherichia coli diarrhoea

The protective use of plasma powder from cattle and swine against experimen tally induced neonatal E. coli diarrhoea in colostrum-deprived calves was e xamined. Diarrhoea was induced with a strain expressing F5(+) fimbriae and a strain expressing F17(+) fimbriae. In all groups supplemented with bovine plasma powder, diarrhoea and fever a-cre less severe than in the control g roups. For the groups infected with the F5(+) E. coil strain, a reduction i n excretion of the challenge strain by 2-4 orders of magnitude and by 1-2 o rders of magnitude was seen when supplemented with bovine plasma powder at a dose of 25 g/l milk and 10 g/l milli, respectively. The bovine plasma powder showed also beneficial effects in the F17(+) infec ted groups. No mortality, no septicaemia and no severe clinical signs were observed. Concerning the excretion of the E. mii F17(+) strain in the faece s, no significant difference with the control group was found. Swine plasma powder showed little beneficial effect on E. coli diarrhoea in calves in this study.