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. 2022 Jun;100(6):261-270.
doi: 10.1111/avj.13156. Epub 2022 Feb 27.

The innate immune stimulant Amplimune® is safe to administer to young feedlot cattle

A L Alexander  1   2 , E Doyle  1 , A B Ingham  3 , I Colditz  2 , G McRae  4 , S Alkemade  4 , M P Cervantes  4 , B C Hine  2
Affiliations

The innate immune stimulant Amplimune® is safe to administer to young feedlot cattle

A L Alexander et al. Aust Vet J. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Infectious disease has a significant impact on livestock production. Availability of alternatives to antibiotics to prevent and treat disease is required to reduce reliance on antibiotics while not impacting animal welfare. Innate immune stimulants, such as mycobacterium cell wall fractions (MCWF), are used as alternatives to antibiotics for the treatment and prevention of infectious disease in a number of species including cattle, horses and dogs. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of Amplimune®, an MCWF-based immune stimulant, for weaner Angus cattle.

Methods: On day -1 and 0, sixty mixed-sex Angus weaner cattle were transported for 6 h before being inducted and housed in a large single pen, simulating feedlot induction conditions. The cattle were assigned to one of six treatment groups (n = 10 per group): 2 mL Amplimune intramuscularly (2IM); 2 mL Amplimune subcutaneously (2SC); 5 mL Amplimune intramuscularly (5IM); 5 mL Amplimune subcutaneously (5SC); 5 mL saline intramuscularly (SalIM) and 5 mL saline subcutaneously (SalSC) on day 0 following transportation. Body temperature, body weight, concentrations of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12) and haematology parameters were measured at various times up to 96 h post-treatment.

Results: No adverse effects from Amplimune treatment were observed. Amplimune induced an increase in circulating cytokine TNFα concentrations, total white blood cell count and lymphocyte counts indicative of activation of the innate immune system without causing an excessive inflammatory response.

Conclusions: Results confirm that Amplimune can be safely administered to beef cattle at the dose rates and via the routes of administration investigated here.

Keywords: Amplimune; cattle; respiratory disease; trained immunity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The work was co‐funded by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Author Annika Alexander was the recipient of the Ian McMaster Bequest scholarship and the QTAC Rural & Regional Enterprise scholarship. Authors McRae G, Alkemade S and Cervantes M were employees or are still employed by NovaVive (a company, which previously had or currently holds licensing rights for Amplimune™) at the time of study execution and manuscript preparation.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Timeline of procedures conducted including body weight (BW), blood sampling (BS), insertion and removal of i‐Buttons, transportation, veterinarian (Vet) checks, induction procedures and treatment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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