Year 2016 - Volume 36, Number 5


Title
Influence of A, D and E vitamin supplements on immune function of calves fed diet tifton (Cynodon spp.) hay, 36(5):453-459
Authors

Abstract
ABSTRACT.- Martins E.R.M., Bertagnon H.G., Batista C.F., Gomes R.C., Santos K.R., Bellinazzi J.B. & Della Libera A.M.M.P. 2016. [Influence of A, D and E vitamin supplements on immune function of calves fed diet tifton (Cynodon spp.) hay.] Influência da suplementação de vitaminas A, D e E na função imune de bezerros alimentados com dieta à base de feno de capim-tifton (Cynodon spp.). Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 36(5):453-459. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil. E-mail: hgodoi@usp.br

Vitamins are organic compounds which are required in small quantities in the body, however essential for the metabolic functions. They participate in numerous metabolic reactions, physiological and immune cells, needed to maintain animal health, as well as act as immunostimulants. Although the diet rich in fresh green foliage provides sufficient amounts of vitamin A, D and E, intensive supplementation with food stored in the form of hay or silage can reduce up to 50% of the levels of these vitamins in food. Given this, the proposal of this study was to verify how the parenteral administration of vitamins ADE acts as immunostimulant in steers fed exclusively with hay of tifton. For that, 14 cattle were divided into two homogeneous groups: Group S, supplemented with vitamin A, D e E given in a single intramuscular dose of 30mL, and Group C without supplementation. Both groups were housed in private stalls and fed with hay for a period of three months. Immune evaluation was performed by blood count and testing of leukocyte function (oxidative metabolism and phagocytosis) in the moments before treatment, three and ten days after the treatments. Considering that supplementation with vitamin A, D e E increased the percentage of granulocytic cell activity and the intensity of the activity of mononuclear cells, as well as intensified the antioxidant effect prolonging the survival of red blood cells and neutrophils, it can be concluded that this treatment had a beneficial effect on the immune response of Holstein calves, despite the damaging effects of exclusive feeding hay, and the partially deprivation of solar incidence.
Download / View
  
 
Colégio Brasileiro de Patologia Animal CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior ISI Web of Knowledge SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online Banco de Dados Bibliográficos da USP UnB - Universidade de Brasília UFRRJ - Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro CFMV - Conselho Federal de Medicina Veterinária