PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF PREGNANT BUNAJI COWS SUPPLEMENTED WITH FEED GRADE SELENIUM AND VITAMIN E

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin E and selenium on physiological parameters of pregnant Bunaji cows. A total of 20 Bunaji cows were used. The study consisted of four treatments with five animals per treatment in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Treatment I served as Control without selenium or vitamin E supplementation, Treatment II was supplemented with 3 mg of feed grade selenium; Treatment III, with 20 mg of feed grade Vitamin E; and Treatment IV was administered a combination of 3 mg feed grade selenium and 20 mg of vitamin. Physiological parameters of respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT) and pulse rate (PR) were measured at the end of the study. The respiratory rate (25.80 – 27.00 breath/min), rectal temperature (38.82 – 39.90oC) and pulse rate (72.40 – 77.00 beat/min) measured were significantly higher (P<0.05) for pregnant Bunaji cows. Rectal temperature was higher (P<0.05) in the control treatment compared to groups supplemented with selenium and vitamin E. Pulse rate was higher (P<0.001) in the control and Se treatments than the other treatments. It was concluded that vitamin E and selenium were affective in ameliorating heat stress in pregnant Bunaji cows