The absorbed molecules are
believed to directly protect the piglets from pathogenic
infections. For example, the circulation ofmaternally derived
immunoglobulin (Ig) G specific for rotavirus plays
a significant role in mitigating clinical disease following
experimental infection of neonatal piglets (Ward et al.
1996). Additionally, Bandrick et al. (2008) reported that
Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae-specific T cells were transferred
to piglets from vaccinated sows and participated
in the neonatal immune response upon stimulation.