Vol. 43, No. 4, 1999 content next

EFFECT OF INJECTED VITAMIN E AND SELENIUM IN LATE GESTATION ON CHOSEN SERUM CONSTITUENTS OF EWES AND THEIR LAMBS

Milad, K.1, Kováč, G.2

1 Al-fateh University
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Tripoli
Libya		 2 University of Veterinary Medicine
Komenskeho 73
041 81 Kosice
The Slovak Republic

Summary

The effect of the administration of vitamin E and selenium during late stage of pregnancy on serum concentrations of vitamin E and selenium in lambs before and after suckling their dams were studied. Blood samples were first collected before treatment and at parturition for serum vitamin E, selenium and lipid profile analyses. Similarly, blood samples were obtained from neonatal lambs on day 0 (before suckling) and on day 4 (after suckling).
The ewe serum vitamin E concentrations decreased at parturition in the treated and control groups. There was a decrease in concentration of vitamin E in the treated ewes, but was not significant. The serum vitamin E concentration in the control group at parturition was significantly lower (P < 0.05) comparing to the concentration before injection. The treatment slightly increased the vitamin E serum concentration of newborn lambs, but when compared with the effect produced by the feeding of colostrum was considered of negligible quantity. The effect of the treatment in lambs after suckling was highly significant (P < 0.01), and effect of suckling in both groups was significant (P < 0.05). Both groups of lambs had very low serum vitamin E concentrations at parturition. This was linked with lipid profile, wherein concentrations of vitamin E and cholesterol in serum were correlated.
The experiment showed that the effect of suckling on cholesterol concentration was significant in both groups (P < 0.05). Total immunoglobulin (TIg) concentration increased after suckling in the treated and control group (P < 0.05; P < 0.01, respectively), while selenium serum concentration increased before suckling in the treated group only. Vitamin E and selenium administration to pregnant ewes in the late gestation increased serum vitamin E concentration in their lambs via colostrum consumption.

Key words: ewe; lamb; before suckling; after suckling; parturition; vitamin E; selenium; lipid profile; placental barrier

References

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Folia Veterinaria / 1999