Animal care

For livestock, our IgY applications focus on supporting the animals’ gastrointestinal health and, thus, enhancing their performance

Thanks to decades of research on maternal immunity mechanism, IRIG has successfully developed many patented IgY applications against different pathogens in human and animals.

Focus areas

IgY for piglets

Diarrhea is the most important disease affecting piglets, causing death and poor performance. As the causative agents of diarrhea consist of various bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc., its control in the farms is very difficult. For more than two decades, we have proven that IgY can be useful in preventing diarrhea and improving piglets’ performance.

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IgY for calves

Like piglets, newborn calves frequently suffer from diarrhea and subsequent death due to various infectious agents in the gastrointestinal tract. These include bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. More than 20 years ago our institute was the first to demonstrate that IgY specifically prepared against E. coli and rotaviruses could be used to control these infections in newborn calves.
Our research has shown that specific combinations of different IgY can help the animals grow better.

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Related publications

Effect of IgY containing anti-pathogenic antibodies to pigs


Title: Dietary effect of egg immunoglobulins containing anti-pathogenic antibodies to pre- and postweaning pigs on growth performance till market weight. Date: July 2002 Conference: American Society of Animal Science, 2002 Joint Meeting  Download:A13 2002.7 EN

Oral passive immunization against salmonellosis in mice using IgY for Salmonella


Title: Oral passive immunization against experimental salmonellosis in mice using chicken egg yolk antibodies specific for Salmonella enteritidis and S.typhimurium Date: 1998 Journal: Vaccine 1998, 16(4): 388-393 Link: Oral passive immunization against experimental salmonellosis in mice using chicken egg yolk antibodies specific for Salmonella enteritidis and S. typhimurium – ScienceDirect  

Prevention of salmonellosis in calves, using orally administered IgY


Title: Prevention of fatal salmonellosis in neonatal calves, using orally administered chicken egg yolk Salmonella-specific antibodies Date: 1998 Journal: American Journal of Veterinary Research 1998, 59(4): 416-420 Link: Prevention of fatal salmonellosis in neonatal calves, using orally administered chicken egg yolk Salmonella-specific antibodies. – Abstract – Europe PMC

Effect of IgY in ETEC Infection in Weaned Pigs


Title: Effect of Oral Egg Antibody in Experimental F18+ Escherichia coli Infection in Weaned Pigs Date: 1997 Journal: The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science 1997, 59(10): 917-921 Link: _pdf (jst.go.jp)

Reduced intestinal colonization with ETEC in weaned pigs fed IgY


Title: Reduced intestinal colonization with F18-positive enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in weaned pigs fed chicken egg antibody against the fimbriae Date: 1997 Journal: FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology 1997, 18: 153-161 Link: Reduced intestinal colonisation with F18-positive enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in weaned pigs fed chicken egg antibody against the fimbriae | Pathogens and Disease | Oxford…

Field evaluation of IgY for bovine rotavirus in calves


Title: Field evaluation of chicken egg yolk immunoglobulins specific for bovine rotavirus in neonatal calves Date: 1997 Journal: Archives of Virology 1997, 142: 843-851 Link: s007050050123.pdf (springer.com)

Passive protection of calves against bovine coronavirus by IgY or colostrum IgG


Title: Passive protection of neonatal calves against bovine coronavirus-induced diarrhea by administration of egg yolk or colostrum antibody powder Date: 1997 Journal: Veterinary Microbiology 1997, 58: 105-111 Link: PII: S0378-1135(97)00144-2 | Elsevier Enhanced Reader

Passage of IgY in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Calves


Title: Passage of Chicken Egg Yolk Antibody Treated with Hydroxypropyl Methylcelulose Phthalate in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Calves Date: 1996 Journal: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science 1996, 58(4): 365-367 Link: _pdf (jst.go.jp)  

Dose-dependent effects of IgY on diarrhea of calves


Title: Dose-dependent effects of specific egg-yolk antibodies on diarrhea of newborn calves Date: 1996 Journal: Preventive Veterinary Medicine 1996, 27: 67-73 Link: PII: 0167-5877(95)00561-7 | Elsevier Enhanced Reader  

Passive protection against bovine rotavirus in calves by IgY


Title: Passive protection against bovine rotavirus in calves by specific immunoglobulins from chicken egg yolk Date: 1994 Journal: Archives of Virology 1994, 138: 143-148 Link: Passive protection against bovine rotavirus in calves by specific immunoglobulins from chicken egg yolk | SpringerLink  

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IRIG: Immunology Research Institute, Gifu - Japan