Strategic administration of antioxidant multiminerals and vitamins to transitional buffaloes augments antioxidant and udder defense mechanisms in early lactation.

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of repeated administrations of antioxidant multiminerals and vitamins in transition buffaloes on udder defense mechanism, antioxidant activity and occurrence of intramammary infection (IMI) in early lactation period. Forty clinically healthy pregnant buffaloes were enrolled 45 days before expected date of calving and randomly allocated into five different supplementation groups (n = 8): only basal ration (control), vitamin E and selenium (VES), multiminerals (MM), ascorbic acid (AA) and chromium (Cr) picolinate in basal diet. The udder defense mechanism was monitored by measuring phagocytic activity (PA), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and nitric oxide (NO) productions in milk leukocytes, antioxidant activity was evaluated by measuring total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in plasma and occurrence of IMI was assessed by milk cytology, bacterial count in milk and visible clinical signs of udder until day 28 post-calving. The results showed that the VES and MM supplementations exhibited significantly higher PA, MPO and NO productions of milk leukocytes till first week of lactation whereas, elevated mean TAC in plasma was maintained from day -7 to 1 of calving in MM supplementation group as compared to control group. Statistically, no significant difference in occurrences of subclinical or clinical IMI was noted across the groups until four weeks of lactation. Taken together, it is concluded that repeated administrations of VES and MM to transition buffaloes could be an effective strategy to maintain good udder health by augmenting milk leukocyte functions and antioxidant status and preventing incidence of IMI in early lactation.

Effects of oral probiotic and lactoferrin interventions on iron-zinc homeostasis, oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium and diarrhoea incidence of neonatal piglets.

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of early-life host specific probiotic and lactoferrin (LF) supplementations on diarrhoea incidence, iron (Fe)-zinc (Zn) balance and antioxidant capabilities in serum of neonatal piglets. A total of eight sow litters obtained from parity matched sows were randomly divided into four groups and assigned to one of the four interventions: control (2.0 ml normal saline), bovine lactoferrin (bLF) (100 mg bLF in normal saline), probiotic (Pb) (1×109 cfu of swine origin Pediococcus acidilactici FT28 strain) and bLF+Pb (both 100 mg bLF and 1×109 cfu of P. acidilactici FT28). All the piglets received supplementations once daily orally for first 7 days of life. The incidence of diarrhoea markedly decreased in bLF group compared to control group. Notably, no incidences of diarrhoea were recorded in Pb and bLF+Pb groups. The Zn and Fe concentrations were significantly increased from day 7 to 21 in bLF and on day 21 in bLF+Pb group. No such changes were noted in Pb group. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in serum was significantly increased on days 7 and 15 in bLF group and on days 7 and 21 in bLF+Pb group. Malonaldehyde concentration was markedly reduced from day 7 to 21 in bLF and bLF+Pb groups. The concentrations of nitrate on days 15 and 21 and malonaldehyde on day 7 were significantly higher in Pb group, but mean TAC was unaltered from day 0 to 21. Although no correlation between the incidence of diarrhoea and Zn/Fe and oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis was noted in the Pb group, the supplementation of P. acidilactici FT28 alone was sufficient to prevent the incidence of diarrhoea in neonatal piglets. Taken together, it is concluded that strategic supplementation of P. acidilactici FT28 in early life could help in preventing diarrhoea until weaning of piglets.

Evaluation of mammary gland immunity and therapeutic potential of Tinospora cordifolia against bovine subclinical mastitis.

Enhancement of the diseased mammary gland immunity and therapeutic potential of hydro-methanolic extract of Tinospora cordifolia (T. cordifolia; stem) in bovine subclinical mastitis was investigated. Somatic cell count (SCC), total bacterial count (TBC), phagocytic activity, and leukocyte lysosomal enzymes like myeloperoxidase and acid phosphatase activity and Interleukin-8 (IL-8) level were evaluated after intramammary infusion of hydro-methanolic extract (stem) of T.cordifolia in diseased cows. The qualitative analysis of the extract revealed the presence of polysaccharide, phenol, alkaloid, and protein. Intramammary infusion of hydro-methanolic extract of T. cordifolia treatment initially enhanced the SCC; thereafter, significant reduction in cell count (P < 0.05) was observed on day 15 of the treatment period, however, reduction in TBC was observed from day 3 onwards. The phagocytic activity of milk polymorphonuclear cells enhanced in the diseased cows treated with the T. cordifolia extract. Similarly, the lysosomal enzyme content of the milk polymorphonuclear cells enhanced significantly (P < 0.05) in diseased cows treated with T. cordifolia. The IL-8 level in milk serum also increased significantly (P < 0.05) in diseased cows treated with the herb extract. The results suggest that the hydro-methanolic extract of T.cordifolia (stem) possesses antibacterial and immunomodulatory properties. In the present study, the biological activity of the Tinospora cordifolia extract at standardized dose against bovine subclinical mastitis is reported for the first time. Development of alternative therapy with medicinal plants is an option for livestock farmers who are not allowed to use the conventional allopathic drugs under certain farming system or cannot afford to use allopathic drugs.

Expression of cytokines and respiratory burst activity of milk cells in response to Azadirachta indica during bovine mastitis.

The immuno therapeutic potential of hydro-methanolic extract of Azadirachta indica (A. indica) was studied during bovine clinical mastitis (CM). The somatic cell count (SCC), total bacterial count (TBC), milk differential leukocyte count (DLC), hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), superoxide anion (O(2) (-)) production and interleukin- 2 (IL-2) and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) cytokines expression were studied before and after intramammary infusion of A. indica extract in diseased cows. The results revealed that A. indica treatment significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the SCC, TBC, milk neutrophil percent and significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced milk lymphocyte percent, H(2)O(2) and O(2) (-) production by milk cells. The IL-2 and IFN-gamma were expressed in normal healthy cows and diseased cows after A. indica treatment, whereas both the cytokines could not be expressed in cows treated with antibiotic and in untreated diseased cows. The results of the present study indicated anti inflammatory, antibacterial and immunomodulatory potential of the herb, these activities could be due to the presence of bioactive principle in the extract. This is a preliminary trial indicated beneficial effect of the herb against bovine mastitis it can be developed as an alternative therapy where the use of antibiotics is normally restricted.