CHANGES IN PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE, HEMATO-BIOCHEMICAL INDICES, IMMUNE AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS OF GROWING OSSIMI LAMBS SUBJECTED TO VITAMINS A AND E ADMINISTRATION

ABSTRACT
This study included 32 growing Ossimi male lambs, averaged 3.5 months of age and 19.08±1.09 kg body weight. They divided into four equal groups (8 lambs each) to determine the effects of vitamins A and E oral administration on growth performance, hematological and biochemical parameters, immune and antioxidant status. The 1st group served as control, the 2nd group (VA) received oral administration of vitamin A at 50,000 IU/head/biweekly, the 3rd group (VE) received vitamin E at 400 mg/head/biweekly, and the 4th group (VA+E) received 50,000 IU vitamin A plus 400 mg vitamin E /head/biweekly. Data showed an increase (P<0.05) in body weight (BW) of lambs received VA and VA+E vs. control. Average daily gain (ADG) increased (P<0.05) for lambs received VA and VA+E vs. control and VE treatment. ADG was higher (P<0.05) for lambs received VA+E than those received each of VA or VE alone. Feed conversion efficiency (FCE) was improved (P<0.05) for lambs received VA and VA+E vs. control and VE treatment. No differences in dry matter intake (DMI) was recorded among the experimental groups. Blood Hb concentrations increased (P<0.05) for lambs received VA, VE and VA+E, while RBCs count and PCV % were increased (P<0.05) only for lambs received VE and VA+E. No significant response of WBCs count among lambs received VA, VE and VA+E vs. control. Lymphocytes %
increased (P<0.05) with no significant differences in eosinophils, basophils and monocytes % for lambs received VA, VE and VA+E vs. control. Lambs treated with VE alone exhibited a decrease (P<0.05) in neutrophils vs. lambs of control, VA and VA+E. Serum total protein (TP) and globulin concentrations increased (P<0.05) with VA, VE and VA+E treatments vs. control. Serum TP and albumin concentrations increased (P<0.05) for lambs treated with VA+E treatment when compared to those treated with VA treatment alone. Lambs received VA, VE and VA+E treatments had higher (P<0.05) serum IgG concentrations than the control. VE treatment increased (P<0.05) serumIgG concentrations vs. VA treatment. There were significant (P<0.05) increases in serum total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity for lambs received VA, VE and VA+E treatments vs. control. Lambs of VE treatment had higher (P<0.05) serum GSH-Px activity than those of VA treatment. No significant differences in serum concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, AST and superoxide dismutase activity was noticed due to treatments VA, VE and VA+E vs. control. These results indicate that combination of vitamins A and E exerted beneficial additive effects that improve ADG and physiological responses of lambs. Vitamin A was more effective than vitamin E in enhancing growth performance of lambs, whereas vitamin E had more potent effect on improving immune response and antioxidant status.