Effect of nickel supplementation on the antioxidant and immune status of growing lambs

Abstract

The present investigation aimed to investigate the impact of nickel (Ni) supplementation on the antioxidant and immune status of growing Muzaffarnagari lambs. For this study, 18 healthy Muzaffarnagari lambs were sorted out from the herd according to weight and age (30.45±3.67 kg) and age (10.33±0.67 months) and randomly divided into 3 groups, 5 in each. The ingredients composition of the basal diet composition was similar for all three groups except nickel supplemented at dose 0.0 (control), 1.5 (Ni_1.5), and 3.0 (Ni_3.0) mg/kg DM in the respective group for 90 days of study. The jugular blood was drawn on days 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 of the study in the morning before feeding and watering. The superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant activity (TAA), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) did not vary statistically among the group control, Ni_1.5, and Ni_3.0. Whereas, catalase activity was statistically (P<0.05) declined in groups that received 1.5 or 3.0 mg Ni/kg DM as compared to the control group. Ni Supplementation did not influence the concentration of hemoglobin (Hb), total leucocyte count (TLC), and neutrophils. Lymphocyte concentration was statistically (P<0.05) higher in lambs who received Ni at a dose of 3.0 mg/kg DM as compared to other groups of lambs. Plasma levels of total immunoglobulin (TIG) were higher in treatment groups of lambs fed either 1.5 or 3.0 mg Ni/kg DM than in the control group. The findings of the present study revealed that both doses of Ni supplementation improved immunity, however, did not affect the antioxidant status of growing lambs.