Effect of Nickel Supplementation on Growth Performance, Antioxidant and Blood Metabolites of Muzaffarnagri Sheep

Abstract

The aim of this study to investigate the impact of nickel (Ni) supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant and blood metabolites. Twenty-one Muzaffarnagri sheep was selected from the herd maintained at Livestock Research Complex-2, Experimental animals were blocked into three groups (n=7) on body weight (30.45±3.67 kg) and age (9.86±0.59 months) basis. Experimental animals either received a basal diet devoid of supplemental Ni (T0) or were supplemented with 1.5 mg (T1) and 3.0 mg (T2) of Ni/kg DM for the period of 90 days. Body weight and feed consumption were recorded at fortnightly intervals, and body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were calculated form body weight and feed consumption. In whole blood, total leukocyte counts (TLC), lymphocyte and neutrophil counts, and hemoglobin were measured. Plasma was tested for total antioxidant activity (TAA), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), total immunoglobulin (TIG), glucose, non-esterifies fatty acid (NEFA), total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol. Catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was analyzed in hematocrit. Nickel supplementation had no effect on body weight and feed consumption in all three groups was statistically similar at the end of each week of the study. The BWG in the T2 group was statistically (P<0.05) greater than in the other groups. The feed conversion ratio was significantly lower in T2 groups as compared to T0 and T1 groups of sheep. Total antioxidant activity, SOD activity and TBARS were statistically similar (P>0.05) in all groups on all fortnights of the study period. Catalase was observed significantly (P<0.05) lower in T2 as compared to control and T1 groups. There was no significant difference observed in hemoglobin, TLC and neutrophil concentration of T0, T1 and T2 groups. The lymphocytes was significantly (P<0.05) higher in T2 than in the control group. TIG level was statistically (P<0.05) higher in the nickel-treated groups (1.5 mg Ni/kg DM) than in the control. The plasma concentration of NEFA, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol was not affected with the supplementation of nickel with any dose and was reported similar values in all three groups. The study concluded that nickel performance and immunity of the sheep. supplementation was improved growth