The Immune System – A Military Force

The immune system is vital to the health and wellbeing of any animal species. When this system is mismanaged, it can result in poor immune responses that leave animals susceptible to disease. Conversely, unnecessary immune activation or improper immune regulation results in a loss to efficient production of meat, milk or eggs. The immune system is therefore, not only vital to the animal welfare, but also to efficient and profitable production. There are countless potential feed formulations, functional feed additives, pharmaceuticals and management practices that claim to improve immune function of farm animal species. Therefore, in order to assess all of these possible methods of managing health and productivity of livestock a basic understanding of the immune system is essential.

The Immune System as a Military Force – Training for Battle

We find that the Romans owed the conquest of the world to no other cause than continual military training, exact observance of discipline in their camps, and unwearied cultivation of the other arts of war.

 – Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus