Effects of Parenteral Supplementation with Minerals and Vitamins on Oxidative Stress and Humoral Immune Response of Weaning Calves

TURIC E; MINERVINO AHH; MATTIOLI GA; PICCO SJ; FAZZIO LE; ROSA DE; RAGGIO S

Animals

MDPI

Lugar: Basel; Año: 2020 vol. 10 p. 1 - 9

2076-2615

We aimed to evaluate the effects of injectable mineral and vitamin supplementation onweaning calves subjected to a low‐stress (fence‐line) weaning system. Seven‐month‐old AberdeenAngus female calves (n = 40, 152 ± 11 kg body weight) from a selenium‐deficient area of extensivecattle production on natural grass were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 20 each). One groupreceived subcutaneous supplementation with copper, zinc, selenium, manganese and vitamins Aand E (SG), and the other was given sterile saline solution (CG). The animals were supplementedtwice, seven days before weaning (day -7) and on the day of weaning (day 0), and they wereevaluated 30 (+30) and 60 (+60) days after weaning. Total antioxidant status (TAS), selenium‐dependent glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, body weight, and average daily gain (ADG) wereevaluated. Additionally, antibody titers were assessed prior to and after each immunization with avaccine containing bovine herpes virus type 1 (BoHV‐1). On day +30, body weight (p = 0.03) washigher in SG, whereas TAS (p = 0.02) and GPx (p = 0.0038) activity were lower in CG and remainedconstant in SG. Antibody titers increased in SG and CG following immunization, being higher inSG on days +30 and +60 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, parenteral supplementation of minerals andvitamins with antioxidant effects in a low‐stress weaning system prevented the decrease in TAS andGPx activity, improved antibody response and had positive effects on body weight.