EFFECT OF PARENTERAL MICRONUTRIENTS SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE IMMUNE FUNCTIONS OF PERIPARTUM COWS AND THEIR CALVES
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Date
2022
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Publisher
ICAR-NDRI, KARNAL
Abstract
Periparturient dairy cows undergo great stress due to major physiological and
metabolic changes as well as immunosuppression occurs during this period. This period is
linked to a decrease in the plasma concentrations of various minerals and vitamins. The
present study was conducted on peripartum cows to investigate the effect of repeated
injections of vitamins and trace elements on the functions and population of blood immune
cells, the expression profile of the first cellular line of defence (i.e., neutrophils), and the
concentration of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines in cows and their calves. Twenty-four
peripartum crossbred cows were randomly grouped into four (n=6): Control, Multi-mineral
(MM), Multi-vitamin (MV), and Multi-minerals and Multi-vitamin (MMMV) groups. Five
ml of MM (Zinc 40 mg/ml, Manganese 10 mg/ml, Copper 15 mg/ml, Selenium 5 mg/ml)
and five ml of MV (Vitamin E 5 mg/ml, Vitamin A 1000 IU/ml, B-Complex 5 mg/ml, and
Vitamin D3 500 IU/ml) were injected intramuscularly (IM) to the MM and MV groups.
Animals of the MMMV group were injected with both. In all the treatment groups, injections
and blood sampling were carried out on the 30th, 15th, and 7th days before and after the
expected date of calving and also on the day of calving. In calves, blood samples were
collected at birth i.e., day 0 and on days 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 15, 30, and 45 post-calving. Each cow's
colostrum/milk was collected on the day of calving (day 0) and 2, 4, and 8 post-calving
days. A lower percentage of total neutrophils, immature neutrophils, and a higher percentage
of lymphocytes along with a significant (P<0.05) neutrophil phagocytic activity and
lymphocyte proliferation were noticed in the micronutrient-injected groups (Cows and their
calves). Lower expression of TLRs and CXCRs and higher expression of GR-α, CD62L,
CD11b, CD25, and CD44 was seen in micronutrient (MMMV) injected groups. In both
cows and calves, pro-inflammatory cytokines significantly (P<0.05) decreased and antiinflammatory
cytokines increased in MMMV injected groups. Total antioxidant capacity
was higher, activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT), TBARS levels were lower in
the blood plasma of treated cows/calves. In addition, a lower incidence of diseases was
observed in micronutrient (MMMV) injected cows and their calves. Our results indicate that
repeated injections of trace elements and vitamins to peripartum dairy cows could be a major
strategy to improve the blood immune cell functions, decrease oxidative stress and in
regulating the inflammatory response in periparturient dairy cows and their calves.