Effect of Dietary Vitamin E Supplementation on Serum 慣-Tocopherol and Immune Status of Crossbred Calves

Abstract

An experiment was conducted with twenty crossbred male calves (7-15 days old) divided into 4 different experimental groups on the basis of body weights to study the effect of vitamin E supplementation on the serum α-tocopherol concentration and immune response of the calves. All the calves were fed on milk and calf starter up to 13 weeks and afterwards, they were fed on concentrate mixture and oat hay up to 32 weeks of age. In addition, the calves in groups I, II, III and IV were supplemented with 0, 125, 250 and 500 IU feed grade DL-α-tocopheryl acetate, respectively. Blood samples were collected at 0 day and subsequently at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 months of age to monitor the serum α-tocopherol concentration in crossbred calves. After 24 weeks of experimental feeding, 4 animals from each group were intramuscularly inoculated with single dose (3 ml) of Haemorrhagic septiceaemia (Pasteurella multocida P52 strain) oil adjuvant vaccine. The cumulative group mean serum α-tocopherol concentration (µg/100 ml) was 88.12, 210.11, 235.21 and 294.02 in-groups I, II, III and IV, respectively and differed significantly (p<0.001) among the four groups. Lymphocyte stimulation indices (LSI) did not differ among the groups significantly. The pooled mean ELISA antibody titer against Pasteurella multocida (P52 strain) was 788.02, 926.85, 1,214.00 and 1,109.51 for group I, II, III and IV, respectively, which indicated higher antibody titer in groups supplemented with vitamin E as compared to the control group. It may be concluded that vitamin E supplementation increased the αtocopherol concentration in serum and dietary supplementation of vitamin E at higher level has a humoral immune enhancing effect against killed bacterial antigen.

Effect of vitamin E and selenium supplementation on haematology, blood chemistry and thyroid hormones in male buffalo (<i>Bubalus bubalis</i>) calves

“…Non-signifi cant variation in the activities of SGOT and SGPT were similar to earlier fi ndings of Samanta and Dass (2007) and Mudgal et al (2008), who did not fi nd any effect of supplemental vitamin E and Se on the activity of these enzymes in crossbred and buffalo calves, respectively. Contrary to present fi ndings, Kursa and Kroupova (1976) reported signifi cantly higher activity of SGOT and SGPT in serum of calves given extra vitamin E (15-30 mg/kg) in milk replacer.…”

Effect of vitamin E supplementation on serum alpha tocopherol and immune status of Murrah buffalo (<i>Bubalus bubalis</i>) calves

“…Rise in mean ELISA antibody titer was observed from 7 DPV in all the groups which peaked on 14 days post inoculation. Contrary to this Pati (1994), Mondal (1996) and Samanta et al (2006) found the maximum ELISA titters of OAV vaccinated calves between 21 and 35 DPV, the difference may be due to species. In the present study, buffalo calves in groups II and III, which received 300 and 600 IU of DL α-tocopheryl acetate/d showed signifi cantly (P<0.001) higher antibody titer than the control group, given no supplemental vitamin E, indicating that dietary supplementation of vitamin E had humoral immune enhancing effect against killed bacterial antigen.…”

“…The cumulative group mean α-tocopherol concentration was 110.7, 206.6 and 215.8 in group I, II and III, respectively, indicating signifi cant (P<0.001) higher values in calves of group II and III as compared to control. Rapid increase in plasma α-tocopherol level in cattle calves has been reported earlier after vitamin E supplementation (Hill et al, 1993;Chatterjee et al, 2003;Samanta et al, 2006). Njeru et al (1995) reported a linear increase in serum α-tocopherol on day 3 and 14, when vitamin E was supplemented at 500, 1500 or 3000 IU/animal /day for 28 days.…”

“…(1986) reported that addition of vitamins E to in vitro lymphocyte cultures did not increase phytohaemagglutinineinduced blastogenesis. Similarly, Samanta et al (2006) reported that LSI did not differ due to vitamin E supplementation in calves. Contrary to above results, Larsen and Tollersrud (1981) observed increased response to PHA-P with lymphocytes obtained from pigs supplemented with various amounts of α-tocopherol and sodium selenite for a period of 12 weeks.…”

“…Many reports have indicated better health and improved immunity in animals fed vitamin E supplemented diets, as high doses of vitamin E have been reported to augment antibody production, stimulated by various antigens. Vitamin E supplementation at higher than recommended levels has been shown to enhance cellular (Cipriano et al, 1982) and humoral immune response (Samanta et al, 2006) in calves. More importantly, supplementation of vitamin E at higher levels than those currently recommended appears to be safe (Bendich and Machlin, 1988;Meydani and Hafek, 1992;Bendich, 1993).…”