Stress related variations in serum vitamin E and C levels of Murrah buffaloes

The study was designed to determine stress related variations in endogenous vitamin E and C levels of Murrah buffaloes. For this purpose, four hundred and fifty healthy adult female Murrah buffaloes between 4 and 12 years of age were sampled to harvest the sera during adverse ambiences viz. moderate, extreme hot and cold ambiences. Animals were broadly divided into non-pregnant milch, pregnant milch, pregnant dry, primipara and multipara. The mean values (μmol L-1) of serum vitamin E and C were 4.31±0.03 and 23.34±0.33, respectively during moderate ambience. The mean values of both the vitamin E and C depressed significantly (p≤0.05) during hot and cold ambiences as compared to moderate ambience. It was observed that decline in each value during hot ambience was greater than that of respective cold ambience. A significant (p≤0.05) variation was observed in the mean values of vitamin E and C in each ambience in the animals of all physiological states. The mean values of both the vitamins of non pregnant milch animals were highest (p≤0.05) whereas they were lowest (p≤0.05) in pregnant dry animals. It could be concluded that extreme ambiences produced oxidative stress in the buffaloes of all physiological states. The depressed levels of endogenous vitamin E and C in the serum showed their depletion in the body probably to combat free radical scavengers. Vitamin E and C should be supplemented to protect the animals from oxidative stress.