Viral Antibody Titer and Leukocyte Subset Responses to Graded Copper and Zinc in Broiler Chicks

Interaction of Antioxidant Trace Minerals Affecting Blood Picture Including Antioxidant Profile of Healthy Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Calves

Copper (Cu) and selenium (Se) are antioxidants and essential trace elements that have mutual interaction and are reported to have beneficial effects at supranutritional levels. The experiment was executed to evaluate the individual impact of supranutritional levels of targeted elements with the effect of their interactions in buffalo calves. Twenty male Murrah buffalo calves of about 8-9 months (bodyweight 112.1 ± 7.69 kg) were distributed into four groups of five calves in each group and fed either a control (C) diet or supplemented with supranutritional levels of Cu (T₁), Se (T₂), or combination of both (T₃) for 120 days. Higher (P = 0.015) values of packed cell volume were observed in group T₂ at day 120; otherwise, all other hematological parameters remained comparable among groups. Over the period (day 120 vs. day 0), an enhancement in the percentage of lymphocytes (P = 0.006) with a reduction in neutrophils (P = 0.028) and hemoglobin (P = 0.024) values was observed in the control group. An enhancement in the percentage of monocytes (P = 0.031), with a reduced percentage of neutrophils (P = 0.022), was reported in groups T₂ and T₃, respectively. Interaction of Cu and Se at supranutritional level (T3) dramatically reduced plasma Cu (P = 0.008) level against the control values, with an improvement in Se markers (i.e., plasma Se, P = 0.041 and enzyme glutathione peroxidase, P = 0.057) over the values in calves fed supplemental Se alone (T₂). Additionally, Cu (T₁ and T₃) was forced to decline (P < 0.05) Zn level in the plasma of buffalo calves. Cu (T₁, P < 0.05) and Se (T₂ and T₃, P ≤ 0.01) supplementation was able to improve their respective plasma levels. The interaction of two trace elements at the supranutritional level further helped in reducing the lipid peroxidation (P = 0.01) values as well. Though antioxidant vitamins and cell-mediated immunity remained unaffected, humoral immunity against antigen P. multocida was high (P = 0.005) in the group T₂. The conclusion may be drawn that supranutritional Cu and Se were capable to influence certain blood parameters with an additional interaction effect due to simultaneous supplementation in buffalo calves.

Selenium and copper interaction at supra-nutritional level affecting blood parameters including immune response against P. multocida antigen in Murrah buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves

Minerals play important role in the diet of an animal. Bio-availability of minerals largely gets affected by absolute as well as the relative amount of each mineral present in the diet of an animal. Copper and selenium are two such an essential elements affect utilization of each other in the gastrointestinal tract. The present study elucidates the utilization of copper and selenium at supra-nutritional levels (higher than nutritional requirements). Male Murrah buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves (n = 10, 8-9 months, 111.7 ± 12.55 kg body weight) were divided equally into two groups and fed either a standard (Control) diet or the same diet supplemented with 0.3 ppm selenium (Se) and 10 ppm copper (Cu) (Treatment). Supplementation was made using liquid solutions of two inorganic mineral sources after mixing in the concentrate mixture and study lasts for a period of 80 days. Blood samples were collected just before starting supplementation (designated as 0 day of study) and at day 40 and 80 after starting supplementation. Blood samples were subjected to haematological parameters, plasma minerals and various oxidative stress-related parameters were determined with the cell-mediated and humoral immune response against antigen P. multocida (P₅₂ strain). Supra-nutritional Se with Cu had higher blood monocytes (P < 0.05) and plasma selenium (P < 0.01) levels, while other hematological parameters and plasma minerals (except zinc, which was lower (P = 0.025) at day 80 in the treatment group) remained unaffected. Among markers for oxidative stress in blood, levels of lipid peroxidation were lesser (P < 0.01), at day 80 and overall mean values of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase and catalase were higher (P < 0.05) in the supra-nutritional group against control values. The overall mean activity of other oxidative stress markers including reduced glutathione, ceruloplasmin as well as the concentration of α tocopherol, retinol, and β carotene remained unaffected due to supra-nutritional Se and Cu. Although cell-mediated immune response remained comparable (P > 0.05) between groups, higher (P < 0.05) overall mean antibody titer values, as well as the values at day 80, was reported in supra-nutritional Se + Cu group. The study concluded that supra-nutritional Se with Cu in the ration of growing Murrah buffalo calves was helpful to reduce the oxidative stress and to enhance the humoral immune response. Simultaneously, higher plasma Se level and number of monocytes in blood highlighted the additional role of selenium and copper in a ration of growing buffalo calves as compared to its normal recommended dose.

Effect of Supplementing Organic Forms of Zinc, Selenium and Chromium on Performance, Anti-Oxidant and Immune Responses in Broiler Chicken Reared in Tropical Summer

Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of supplementing organic forms of zinc (Zn), selenium (Se) and chromium (Cr) on performance, anti-oxidant activities and immune responses in broiler chickens from 1 to 21 days of age, which were reared in cyclic heat-stressed condition under tropical summer in open-sided poultry house. A total of 200 (experiment I) and 450-day-old (experiment II) broiler male chicks (Cobb 400) were randomly distributed in stainless steel battery brooders (610 mm × 762 mm × 475 mm) at the rate of five birds per pen. A maize-soybean meal-based control diet (CD) containing recommended (Vencobb 400, Broiler Management Guide) concentrations of inorganic trace minerals and other nutrients was prepared. The CD was supplemented individually with organic form of selenium (Se, 0.30 mg/kg), chromium (Cr, 2 mg/kg) and zinc (Zn, 40 mg/kg) in experiment I. In experiment II, two concentrations of each Zn (20 and 40 mg/kg), Se (0.15 and 0.30 mg/kg) and Cr (1 and 2 mg/kg) were supplemented to the basal diet in 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. A group without supplementing inorganic trace minerals was maintained as control group in both experiments. Each diet was allotted randomly to ten replicates in both experiments and fed ad libitum from 1 to 21 days of age. At 19th day of age, blood samples were collected for estimation of anti-oxidant and immune responses. Supplementation of Se, Cr and Zn increased (P < 0.05) body mass gain (BMG) and feed intake compared to those fed the CD in experiment I. The feed efficiency (FE) in Cr-fed group was higher (P < 0.05) compared to the CD-fed group. Se or Cr supplementation reduced lipid peroxidation (LP) compared to broilers fed the CD. In experiment II, BMG was not affected (P > 0.05) by the interaction between levels of Zn, Se and Cr in broiler diet. The FE improved (P < 0.05) with supplementation of the trace minerals tested at both concentrations except in group fed 40 mg Zn, 0.5 mg Se and 1 mg Cr/kg. Reduction in lipid peroxidation (LP, P < 0.05) and increased (P < 0.05) activity of superoxide dismutase were observed in broiler fed organic Zn, Se and Cr compared to the CD-fed group. The dietary concentrations of Zn, Se and Cr did not influence (P > 0.05) the immune responses (Newcastle disease titre and cell-mediated immune response to phytohaemagglutinin-P) in both the experiments. Based on the results, it is concluded that supplementation of organic form of Se, Cr and Zn (0.30, 2 and 40 mg/kg, respectively) either alone or in combination significantly improved performance and anti-oxidant responses (reduced LP and increased superoxide dismutase) in commercial broiler chicks (21 days of age) reared in cyclic heat stress conditions in open-sided poultry house during summer.

Natural immunity to hemophilus influenza type b in children, south of Iran: need for vaccination

Hemophilus influenza type b (Hib) infection has a high morbidity and mortality rate especially in children less than 5 years of age. The incidence of Hib disease in Iran is not known and Hib vaccine is not included in the National Immunization Program. The aim of the present study was to investigate the level of antibody to Hib of children five years or younger living in Jahrom, Iran. Three hundred eighty six children 5 years or younger were selected by random sampling method. A blood samples were taken from those children. Anti-Hib IgG antibody (anti-PRP) level was determined in the serum by using anti-Hemophilus influenza IgG EIA kit (IBL, Germany). An anti-PRP antibody levels of 0.15 microg mL(-1) and over were accepted as the natural immunity. The mean concentration of Hib antibody was 0.94 +/- 0.480 microg mL(-1). Natural immunity was determined in three hundred and twenty six (84.5%) of the children. The proportion of natural immunity was increased from 64.9% among children = 12 month old to 95.2% in children aged 49-60 month (p < 0.001). The exposure rate of children with Hib was higher than expected, even in children who were just a few months old. Present data revealed need to be introducing Hib conjugate vaccine in the National Immunization Programs.