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Transfer Factor – An Important Immunologic Health Nutrient
How healthy are our animals? Do they have strong immune systems? Are they under stress? Do you have an alpaca that always seems to be “fighting” some illness, produces poor quality milk, has crias that don't gain as much as they should or others that are more susceptible to parasites? These are only a few of the management challenges that we face as alpaca owners.
Whether our animals live their lives in health or sickness depends on the health of their immune systems. In this section, you will learn about Transfer Factor, a nutritional supplement that can boost immune function in our alpacas, which in turn can dramatically improve their general health. We feel it should be an important part of your herd nutritional and immunological health.
Transfer Factor (sometimes called “TF”) is a polypeptide protein found in colostrum (the first post-partum milk produced by lactating mammals). Originally discovered in 1949, Dr. H. S. Lawrence found he could “transfer” immunity from one patient to another by using white blood cells (the body's first-line defense system). Surprisingly, little was done to investigate Transfer Factors until the late 1980's.
At that time, it was well known how important it was for foals receive colostrum soon after birth, and that breast-fed human babies were healthier than those that fed synthetic baby formula. Researchers found clear evidence that transfer factors in colostrum actually stimulated the immune systems in both human and animal newborns, and as a result, produced significantly healthier offspring. Transfer Factor is now available in products formulated for humans, small animals, livestock and horses. Human patients have strong responses to TF.
What is Transfer Factor and how does it work? TF is a “lymphokine,” a substance produced by white blood cells. TF is a messenger protein whose function is to alert the immune system. Transfer Factors activate and facilitate mobilization of antibodies and stimulate production of additional antibodies.
Thus, TF helps the body to recognize “invaders,” better known as viruses and bacteria. TF activates critical segments of the immune system (natural killer cells – powerful white blood cells that neutralize and destroy bacteria and viruses, T and B cells, and Immune Suppressor cells). TF has been shown to increase natural killer cell activity by 250%.
Although the exact mechanism of action is not known, we do know that TF is the most powerful immune messenger to be discovered so far.
Transfer Factor is collected from cows that have been exposed to various bacteria and viruses. As a result, the cow's immune system reacts to the foreign invaders and produces TF. With repeated exposure, more and more TF is produced and excreted in the colostrum, where it can be extracted and put into supplement form.
Why use Transfer Factor? It is well known that antibiotics have been overused over the past 60 years. The results include: resistant strains of bacteria, ineffective antibiotics, chronic use of antibiotics in livestock feed, the need for multiple antibiotics to treat infections, longer treatment periods and repeated antibiotic treatments.
Viruses are known to mutate into new strains, so the common flu (influenza) has been deadly, especially in patients with weak immune systems; senior citizens, (animal and human), infants, AIDs patients, chemotherapy patients, patients with serious disease, patients under stress, malnourished patients, etc.). In Tom's veterinary practice, he has seen the number of animal allergies increase every year since he started in 1982. Tom has also seen the number of animals (and their owners!) with debilitating, poorly responsive, chronic diseases increasing at the same pace. In many of such cases, the common medications (antibiotics, steroids, anti-inflammatory, antihistamines, etc.) did not “cure” the condition, and often larger and larger dosages were required. Clearly, a different approach was needed.
Immunotherapy is a science that evaluates the body's immune system, with the goal of using the body's natural defense systems to fight disease. The goal of immunotherapy is to reduce the amount of medication needed for the body to recover. Successful immunotherapy also leaves the body's immune system stronger and more able to withstand future challenges. TF can be a major immunotherapeutic tool.
Transfer Factor is not “species-specific.” This means that TF from a cow is the same as TF from a human, dog, monkey, horse, goat, sheep, alpaca, etc, so it is effective in all mammals. TF has been shown to stimulate immunity to a wide range of viruses and bacteria, not just those that the donor cow has been exposed. TF can activate a potent immune response often within 24 hours. Compare this to the immune response from vaccination that take a minimum of 14 days, often much longer. TF can be used before, during and after travel, shows, surgery, breeding, birthing, vaccination, or shearing. Transfer Factor can be used along with other medications, boosting the immune system's response to treatment. We feel it can dramatically increase the quality of the dam's colostrum with both immediate and lasting positive effects on the cria's health.
Dr. Hull and I strongly recommend the use of Transfer Factor products to enhance all aspects of your animal's health and we feed it regularly to our alpacas.
TF is available in several granular preparations. TF Performance and Show is an equine product. It is meant to be a daily supplement, with TF, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, probiotics, etc. for general health benefits. A general recommendation for alpacas is to give 20-25% of the recommended equine dosage.
A second product is TF Plus Livestock Stress Formula. This product contains TF plus other immune stimulants (Shitake and Maitake mushrooms, beta glucans, Olive Leaf Extract to name a few), as well as vitamins, minerals and probiotics. This product would be used along with TF Performance and Show for any stress situation (travel, show, illness, injury, breeding, birthing, nursing, training). This would be more of a short-term use product. The alpaca dosage would be similar to the equine dosage (20-25%).
Transfer Factor products are not available over the counter. However, TF can be ordered through Dr. Cameron from:
4Life Research
9550 South 300 West
Sandy, UT 84070
(888) 454-3374
When you order, please give them Dr. Cameron's ID number (5116272). This lets the company know what veterinarian recommended this product to you. Note that 4Life, Inc. is set up as a network distribution company.
As a veterinarian, if you would like to consider referrals to the company, please call Dr. Sam Jones (434 799-2721) for information and assistance. Please check out the 4Life website at http://www.4-life.com and click on the Animal Health section.
www.indegene.com/Onc/Jour/indJour_ONSE_Sum_01-02-2002_1.asp
www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=46984
www.aegis.com/aidsline/1997/may/M9751671.html
www.infoplease.com/ipd/A0524166.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_blood_cell
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