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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Livestock Nutrient Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #141710
Title: INFLUENCE OF DIETARY ENCAPSULATED ASCORBATE AND ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL ON PERFORMANCE, SERUM ANTIOXIDANT CONCENTRATIONS AND WHITE BLOOD CELL CHANGES OF TRANSIT STRESSED WETHER LAMBS

Author
item CHIRASE, NORBERT - TAES/WTAMU
item GREENE, L. - TAES
item Cole, Noel
item PUTNAM, D. - BALCHEM ENCAPSULATES

Submitted to: Midwestern Section of the American Society of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/31/2002
Publication Date: 3/17/2003
Citation: Chirase, N., Greene, L. W., Cole, N. A., Putnam, D. Influence of Dietary Encapsulated Ascorbate and Alpha-Tocopherol on Performance, Serum Antioxidant Concentrations and White Blood Cell Changes Of Transit Stressed Wether Lambs. Available from: http://www.asas.org/midwest/2003/03mabs.pdf. Midwestern Section of the American Society Of Animal Science. No. 297. [2003]

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Animals often encounter many environmental stressors and pathogens associated with modern animal production which could compromise the antioxidant and immune defense systems. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary encapsulated ascorbate (VitC), alpha-tocopherol (VitE), and a combined encapsulated VitC and VitE (VitCE) on performance, serum antioxidants concentrations and white blood cell (WBC) changes of transit stressed wether lambs. Twenty four lambs (average BW 36 kg) were allotted randomly into 4 groups, and individually fed (ad libitum) a basal diet with a ground corn premix (100 g/d) containing the following antioxidant supplements: 1) Control (ground corn), 2) VitC (2 g/d), 3) VitE (490 IU/kg DM), and 4) VitCE (VitC 2 g/d and VitE 490 IU/kg DM). The basal diet contained 75% concentrate, 25% roughage, 15.6% CP, 54 IU of alpha-tocopherol/kg and unknown ascorbate content. Lambs were adapted to their diets and pens for 28 d pretransit. Daily feed intake (d 0 to 28) and BW were measured and blood samples taken every 7 d. Harvested serum or plasma was used for retinol (VitA), alpha- and gamma¿tocopherol and ascorbate assays. On d 29, lambs were transported (1158 km) by truck and a trailer for 12 h after 24 h of fasting. Sampling and analysis procedures were repeated every 7 d for 28 d, and WBC counts performed. The data were analyzed using Mixed Models procedures of SAS. Lambs fed VitC or VitE had lower (P < 0.05) pretransit feed intake, ADG, and gain to feed ratio than those fed VitCE. Serum alpha¿tocopherol concentration (µg/ml) was greater (P < 0.05) in lambs fed VitE or VitCE than lambs fed control or VitC. Lambs fed VitC or VitCE had lower monocytes and higher (P < 0.05) hemoglobin concentrations than controls. Encapsulated antioxidants increased serum antioxidants and hemoglobin concentrations of transit stressed lambs.