Fig. 1

Comparison of neutralizing anti-CPB antibody titers in gilts and multiparous sows and their piglets. a & b: Immunization and sampling schedule for field trial. c, d & e: Neutralizing anti-CPB antibodies in gilts, multiparous sows and piglets on farms vaccinating against C. perfringens type C. a. Timeline of sample collection in the first field trial for gilts: T1: before the second vaccination, T2 and Col: in the first 24 h postpartum (p.p.), M, P: 2 days p.p.; T: blood sample of the sow, Col: colostrum, M: milk, P: blood samples of piglets. b. Timeline of sample collection in the first field trial for multiparous sows: T1: before the booster vaccination, T2 and Col: in the first 24 h p.p., M, P: 2 days p.p.; T: blood sample of the sow, Col: colostrum, M: milk, P: blood samples of piglets. c. Neutralizing anti-CPB antibody titers (logarithmic scale) in serum of gilts and multiparous sows. Serum from gilts was taken before (T1) and after the second vaccination (T2), serum of multiparous sows before (T1) and after the booster vaccination (T2) of subsequent farrowings. Box plots depicting median, quartiles and range. Antibody titers in gilts at T2 ranged from 0 to 9.54 IU/ml with a median of 0 IU/ml, whereas titers in sows were significantly higher (p < 0.01 for all time points). ANOVA, Tukey-Kramer Multiple-Comparison Test. d. Neutralizing anti-CPB antibody titers in colostrum (Col) and milk (M) samples of gilts and multiparous sows. Colostral and milk antibody titers of multiparous sows were significantly higher than antibody titers of gilts (*p < 0.01 for all time points and groups). ANOVA, Tukey-Kramer Multiple-Comparison Test. e. Neutralizing anti-CPB antibody titers in serum of piglets from gilts (0) and multiparous sows (1). Antibody titers from piglets of multiparous sows were significantly higher than antibody titers from piglets of gilts (*p < 0.01). ANOVA, Tukey-Kramer Multiple-Comparison Test