No abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of nano copper (nano-Cu) and nano zinc (nano-Zn) supplementation on the biomarkers of immunity and antioxidant and health status attributes in young dairy calves. Twenty-four young cattle calves were randomly assigned into four groups (6 calves per group) on body weight and age basis for a period of 120 days. Feeding regimen was same in all the groups except that these were supplemented with 0.0 mg nano Cu and nano Zn (control), 10 mg nano Cu (nanoCu10), 32 mg nano Zn (nanoZn32) and combination of nano Cu and nano Zn (nanoCu10+nanoZn32) per kg dry matter (DM) basis in four respective groups. Supplementation of nano Cu along with nano Zn improves immune response which was evidenced from higher immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin A (IgA), total immunoglobulin (TIg) and Zn sulphate turbidity (ZST) units and lower plasma concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and cortisol in nanoCu10+nanoZn32 group. There were no effect of treatment on the plasma concentrations of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ). Antioxidant status was also better in the nanoCu10+nanoZn32 group as evidenced from lower concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and higher activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), ceruloplasmin (Cp) and total antioxidant status (TAS). However, treatment did not exert any effect on catalase (CAT) activity. Although the nano Cu or nano Zn supplementation, either alone or in combination, did not exert any effect on growth performance or body condition score (BCS) but frequency of diarrhea and incidence of diarrhea was lower while faecal consistency score (FCS) and attitude score were better in the nanoCu10+nanoZn32 groups. In control group, one calves found affected with joint ill and two calves were found affected with navel ill. During the experimental period, none of the calf in all four groups was found affected with pneumonia. The findings of this study revealed that, dietary supplementation of nano Cu in combination with nano Zn improved the health status of young dairy calves by improving immunity and antioxidant status.