Effect of dose and source of supplemental zinc on immune response and oxidative enzymes in lambs.

An experiment of 150 days was conducted on 42 male Nellore lambs (28.3 +/- 0.64 kg) to determine the effect of zinc (Zn) supplementation (0,15, 30 and 45 ppm) in diet from inorganic (ZnSO(4)) and organic (Zn proteinate) sources on immune response and antioxidant enzyme activities by allotting them randomly to 7 groups in completely randomized design. The basal diet (BD) contained 29.28 ppm Zn. The humoral immune response assessed at 75 d against B. abortus was higher (P<0.01) with 15 or 30 ppm Zn supplementation from organic source. The dose and source had no effect on titres against chicken RBC antigen. The cell mediated immune response assessed as delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response against phytohaemagglutinin-P and in vitro lymphocyte proliferative response against concanavalin A at 150 d was higher (P<0.05) at 15 ppm Zn supplementation compared to BD fed lambs. Supplementation of 45 ppm Zn had no positive effect on immune response. The DTH response and antibody titres against B.abortus were higher (P< 0.05) on Zn proteinate compared to ZnSO(4) at 15 ppm Zn supplementation. The lipid peroxidase activity was lower (P < 0.01), while the RBC superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were higher (P < 0.01) in lambs at 15 ppm Zn supplementation compared to BD diet fed lambs, assessed at 75 d of feeding. Serum globulin concentration and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity (75 d of experiment) was higher in Zn supplemented lambs. The ALP activity increased (P < 0.01) with increase in Zn supplementation and being higher when supplementation was from Zn proteinate compared to ZnSO(4). The study indicated that 15 ppm zinc supplementation was required for obtaining higher immune response in lambs when fed a basal diet containing 29.28 ppm Zn and supplementation as Zn proteinate had higher antioxidant enzyme activities and immune response compared to ZnSO(4).