Volume 11, Issue 2: 68-71; March 25, 2021  
CHANGES IN SERUM LYSOZYME AND BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY IN  
GROWING HEIFERS OF DIFFERENT BREEDS  
Viktor I. EREMENKO1 and Elena G. ROTMISTROVSKAYA2  
1Head of the Department, Ph.D., Biology, Professor, I.I. Ivanov Kursk State Agricultural Academy, Kursk, Russia  
2Senior Lecturer, Ph.D. in Biology, I.I. Ivanov Kursk State Agricultural Academy, Kursk, Russia  
Email: vic.eriomenko@yandex.ru;  
: 0000-0003-3780-7724  
Supporting Information  
ABSTRACT: The study presents the results of a study of the bactericidal and lysozyme activity of blood  
serum of heifers of different breeds. The experiment involved 4 groups of heifers, 10 heads in each  
group: 1) Black-and-white Holstein; 2) Simmental; 3) Aberdeen-Angus; and 4) crosses of Simmental and  
Aberdeen-Angus breeds. Animals of all groups were kept in the same feeding and housing conditions.  
During the experiments, the animals were fed according to generally accepted standards. Blood was  
taken from animals from the tail vein in the morning before the first feeding in compliance with the  
aseptic rules. It was found that with an increase in gestation, the activity of serum bactericidal activity  
(SBA) and serum lysozyme activity (SLA) in the blood of heifers gradually increases.in conclusion, during  
pregnancy, the level of SBA and SLA in the blood of heifers depended on the month of pregnancy and  
the breed of animals. During pregnancy, hybrid heifers have higher levels of SBA and SLA, and relatively  
low levels of SBA and SLA are observed in Black-and-White, Simmental and Aberdeen Angus heifers.  
Keywords: Aberdeen-Angus, Bactericidal, Heifer, Lysozyme activity, Simmental.  
INTRODUCTION  
Increasing the productivity of farm animals is the key challenge of modern animal husbandry (Eremenko and Kretova,  
2007). To achieve this goal, in addition to improving the quality of feeding and improving the management of the industry,  
it is necessary to carry out systematic selection work on the most important inherited traits of animals (Rauw and Gomez-  
Raya, 2015; Balzani and Hanlon, 2020). To improve the productive qualities of cattle, it is necessary to study in more  
detail the mechanism of the formation of natural resistance, and its relationship with the future productive qualities of  
animals, and in the future to recommend the most resistant breeds of cattle for their use in breeding work (Eremenko and  
The main indicator of natural resistance of livestock is the indicators of bactericidal and lysozyme activity of blood  
serum (Zhou et al., 2019). This indicator is widely used in fish health detection and aquaculture (Das and Sahoo, 2014;  
Panase et al., 2017). Especially in dairy cows it’s documented that lyzozyme level in milk is an important indicator for  
immune status and it’s differed with breeds of cows (Król et al., 2010).  
Thus, serum bactericidal activity (SBA) and serum lysozyme activity (SLA) are a combined manifestation of the  
body's natural defenses (Carroll and Jasper, 1977). SLA can be different in depends on breed of farm animal (Sotirov et  
al., 2007), and it’s documented in local studies (Sotirov et al., 2006; 2007). The study of these mechanisms will make it  
possible to purposefully use these indicators in the selection of cattle (Król et al., 2010). Aim of present study is to  
determination of these indicator activities in different breeds of cows.  
MATERIALS AND METHODS  
The studies were carried out on Black-and-White Holstein, Simmental, Aberdeen-Angus and crossbred heifers of Black-  
and-White breeds. Heifers were analogous in age and gestational age, 10 heads in each group. They were grown in the  
same conditions, which ensured their normal growth, development and, subsequently, milk and meat productivity,  
characteristic of each breed. During the experiments, the animals were fed according to generally accepted standards.  
Blood was taken from animals from the tail vein in the morning before the first feeding in compliance with the aseptic  
rules. SBA and SLA indices were determined according to generally accepted methods. The obtained research results  
were subjected to biometric processing by variation statistics using Microsoft Office Excel.  
Statistical analysis  
The One-way AOVA method used for statistical comparison of treatments. For comparison of means, SAS software,  
version 10 (P<0.05) was used, and Duncan multiple range test for comparison of means. Experimental groups consisted:  
1-Black-and-White Holstein, 2-Simmental, 3-Aberdeen-Angus and 4crossbred heifers of Black-and-White (n: 10).  
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Citation: Eremenko VI and Rotmistrovskaya EG (2021). Changes in serum lysozyme and bactericidal activity in growing heifers of different breeds. Online J. Anim.  
Ethical approval  
The in vivo and in vitro studies were approved by ethical committee of department of Biology, I.I. Ivanov Kursk State  
Agricultural Academy of Russia.  
RESULTS  
Blood serum bactericidal activity (SBA)  
SBA indices in the first month of pregnancy in all groups were within normal limits and did not differ significantly  
across groups. The data shown in Figure 1 show that in the first month of lactation, the bactericidal activity of blood serum  
in heifers of different breeds was between 82.7±3.8% and 89.4±4.2%.  
By the second month of pregnancy, this indicator in all compared breeds of heifers increased slightly and was  
between 82.4±2.9% and 90.1±4.6%. In Black-and-White Holstein heifers, SBA was 82.4±2.9%, in Simmental was  
83.3±3.3%, in Aberdeen-Angus was 90.1±4.6% and in crossbred animals was 89.0±3.7%. By the third month of  
pregnancy, SBA slightly increased in heifers of the first group to 82.7±2.8%, in the second group to 83.7±3.1%, in the  
fourth group to 89.3±4.5%. In the group of Simmental heifers, SBA slightly decreased to 88.9±4.7%. Later, at the 4th and  
5th months of pregnancy, the value of this indicator in all groups ranged between 82.3±3.1% and 92.4±4.0%. The  
research found an increase in the bactericidal activity of blood serum by the 6th month of pregnancy in experimental  
animals. In Black-and-White Holstein, SBA was 80.0±2.9%, in Simmental was 84.2±3.7%, in Aberdeen-Angus was  
88.8±4.2% and in crossbred heifers was 93.7±4.2%. By the 9th month of pregnancy, the bactericidal activity of blood  
serum continued to increase and amounted to 82.0±4.1% in Black-and-White Holstein, 87.4±3.7% in Simmental,  
91.3±4.2% in Aberdeen-Angus, and 97.7±5.0% in crossbred heifers. During month 7, 8, and 9 of gestation, crossbred  
animals showed statistically significant differences in relation to the data of the Black-and-White Holstein heifers  
(P<0.05). Comparing the indicators of bactericidal activity of blood serum between the experimental groups of heifers, it  
should be noted that before the 9th month of pregnancy, this indicator was slightly higher in crossbred animals. Thus, the  
bactericidal activity of blood serum depends on the breed of heifers and the duration of pregnancy. Relatively low SBA  
was noted in Black-and-White Holstein in relation to the compared breeds of heifers, and higher SBA was noted in  
crossbred animals.  
Blood serum lysozyme activity (SLA)  
The lysozyme activity of blood serum in the first month of pregnancy in experimental heifers was approximately at  
the same level and amounted to 22.6±1.5% in Black-and-White Holstein, 22.3±1.5% in Simmental, 26.5±1.3% in  
Aberdeen-Angus, and 29.5±1.6% in crossbred heifers (Figure 2).  
Figure 1 - Changes in bactericidal activity of blood serum in heifers of different breeds.  
Figure 2 - Changes in lysozyme activity of blood serum in heifers of different breeds.  
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Citation: Eremenko VI and Rotmistrovskaya EG (2021). Changes in serum lysozyme and bactericidal activity in growing heifers of different breeds. Online J. Anim.  
Statistically significant differences during the 1st month of gestation were noted between hybrid animals, Black-and-  
White and Simmental heifers (P<0.05). By the second month of pregnancy, the lysozyme activity of the blood serum of  
animals was also lower in Black-and-White Holstein. Crossbred animals showed the highest SLA level - 29.2±1.3%.  
Statistically significant differences at 2 months of gestation were noted between Black-and-White, Simmental breed of  
heifers and crossbred animals (P<0.05). Mentioned differences in breeds (for SLA activity) has fully recognized in goat  
Analyzing the data in Figure 2, it can be noted that by the third month of pregnancy, SLA was slightly lower in heifers  
of Black-and-White Holstein breed - 23.3±1.1%. The highest level of SLA was also in crossbred animals - 30.4±1.4%. In  
Black-and-White heifers, lysozyme activity during months 3, 4, and 5 of gestation was significantly lower in relation to  
crossbred animals (P<0.05). In the second half of pregnancy, all breeds of animals showed an increase in lysozyme  
activity, especially pronounced these changes were noted in the Aberdeen Angus breed and crossbred animals. During the  
6th months of pregnancy, SLA was 25.8±1.5% in Black-and-White Holstein, 28.8±1.4% in Simmental, 29.9±1.6% in  
Aberdeen-Angus, and 33.5±1.5% crossbred heifers.  
Crossbred heifers had significantly higher lysozyme activity during the 6th months of gestation in relation to Black-  
and-White Holstein and Simmental heifers (P<0.05). The activity of lysozyme during the 9th month of pregnancy was  
30.1±1.8% in Black-and-White Holstein; 33.7±1.8% in Simmental, 34.8±2.0% in Aberdeen-Angus, and 36.5±2.0% in  
crossbred animals. Black-and-white heifers at the end of pregnancy had a significantly lower activity than crossbred  
heifers (P<0.05).  
Thus, the lysozyme activity of blood serum in crossbred animals during all months of pregnancy exceeded those of  
the Simmental and especially the Black-and-White breed. This finding is in according to Puppel et al. (2019) who review  
and noted changes lysozyme activity in different breeds and in colostrum composition. An increase in SLA during  
pregnancy indicates an increase in serum lysozyme during pregnancy. This is obviously due to the evolutionary reaction of  
the nonspecific protection on the part of the mother to the birth of a viable calf.  
CONCLUSION  
With respect to the above it can conclude that with an increase in gestation, serum bactericidal activity (SBA) and serum  
lysozyme activity (SLA) of heifers gradually increases. During pregnancy, the level of SBA and SLA in the blood of heifers  
depended on the month of pregnancy and the breed of animals. During pregnancy, hybrid heifers have higher  
concentrations of SBA and SLA. During pregnancy, Black-and-White, Simmental, and Aberdeen Angus heifers have lower  
concentrations of SBA and SLA.  
DECLARATIONS  
Corresponding Author  
E-mail: vic.eriomenko@yandex.ru; ORCID: 0000-0003-3780-7724  
Authors’ Contribution  
Both authors contributed in research, experiments and writing, equally.  
Conflict of interests  
Authors declare no competing interests.  
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Citation: Eremenko VI and Rotmistrovskaya EG (2021). Changes in serum lysozyme and bactericidal activity in growing heifers of different breeds. Online J. Anim.