Effect of prepartum and postpartum vitamin E and selenium supplementation on serum electrophoresis and some reproductive patterns of Egyptian buffaloes

ABSTRACT

Twelve Egyptian buffalos were used to determine the effect of supplementation with vitamin E alone or in combination with selenium [Se] during the pre- and postpartum periods or serum electrophoretic pattern and some reproductive characteristics of parturient animals. At the last month of gestation the animals were divided into three equal groups. The first group received 4200 mg vitamin E and 4.2 mg Se, the second group received 142 mg vitamin E, while the third group was left without supplementation as a control. The blood sera at the last week of gestation as well as at the fourth week after parturition were used for the determination of total proteins, electrophoretic pattern as well as for the FSH and LH assay. Buffalos supplemented with vitamin E in combination with Se showed significantly higher levels of gamma-globulins and LH as well as significantly lower levels of FSH compared to animals supplemented with vitamin E alone or in the control group. It was concluded that the pre- and postpartum supplementation with vitamin E and Se combination can improve the reproductive efficiency and the immune status of Egyptian buffalos