RESUMO
Rinderpest is a highly contagious and fatal disease of ruminants. Complains from unsatisfactory immune response to vaccines are quite frequently raised. A study was carried out to evaluate the potential of long tem feeding of high levels of vitamin E and Zinc on buffalo calves immune response vaccinated with live attenuated tissue culture Rinderpest vaccine. Two groups of buffalo calves were used. The calves of the treated group were supplemented with a combination of 1500 IU of dl-alpha-tocopherol and 7g. zinc oxide per animal at weekly intervals 7 weeks prior to vaccination and continued for further 4 weeks post vaccination. The ingredients of the ration were analyzed for moisture, crude protein and zinc. Heparinized and non-heparinized blood samples were collected at vaccination time 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks post vaccination. Serun neutralization test and lymphayte blastogenic response to phytohaemagglutinin nitrogen were used as humeral and cell mediated immune measurements. The results showed that the serum neutralizing antibody titre as well as the blastogenic response of the supplemented group [56.0 +/- 8.0 and 2.35 +/- 0.16 respectively], were significantly [P < 0.01] higher as compared to that of the unsupplemtented group [26.69 +/- 5.33 and 1.577 +/- 0.06 respectively]. The trial confirmed that benefits from vitamin E and zinc supplementation might favorly modulate the immune competence under infectious stressfull conditions