EFFECT OF VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENTATION TO DRY MURRAH BUFFALOES ON DRY MATTER INTAKE, BODY CONDITION SCORE, METABOLIC SHIFTS PRE AND POSTPARTUM

This study as designed to evaluate effect of vitamin E supplementation to dry Murrah buffaloes on dry matter intake, body condition score and metabolic shifts pre and postpartum in response to vitamin E supplementation from day -56, relative to parturition. Total twelve numbers of healthy dry Murrah buffaloes were selected from National Dairy Research Institute Murrah herd and randomly distributed in to two groups' treatment and control consisting six buffaloes in each group. Buffaloes in treatment group were supplemented with 2,000 IU alpha-tocopheryl acetate/day/head from -56 days prepartum to +21 days postpartum in addition to the control feed. Dry matter intake, body weight and body condition score were recorded at fortnightly interval. Blood samples were taken from each buffalo by jugular vein puncture at weekly interval from day -56 to day +56 relative to parturition. Vitamin E supplemented buffaloes registered significantly higher levels of glucose (P<0.05) and albumin (P<0.05) whereas plasma NEFA and DMI was low in these buffaloes. There was no effect of vitamin E supplementation on body weight, BCS, beta-HBA and BUN levels. The changes occurring in peripheral levels of these blood metabolites were within the normal physiological range in both the groups.