Effects of E and C Vitamins on the Growth and immunity of the Angora Goat Kids Exposed to Stress

Authors: HALİT İMİK, MELİH AYTAÇ, BEHİÇ COŞKUN, HATİCE FİDANCI

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of administration of vitamin E and C on the live weight gain, anti-body levels against Brucella melitensis (Rev.1) vaccine and liveability of Angora goat kids separated from their mothers at the age of 21 days, and then exposed to stress. Forty kids were used in this study. They were divided into four groups having ten kids per group. This study was conducted with the control group (+) in which the kids were not separated from their mothers until the wean-ing period, a group(-) which was exposed to stress and being with their mothers only 15 minutes a day from average 21 days age to weaning, and a groups of vitamin E and vitamin C. Live weights in the groups were 14.9, 11.0, 11.3 and 12.3 kg respective-ly, at the end of this study. As regards to live weights, there were statistically significant differences among the control (+), control (-) and vitamin E groups (p<0.05); where as there were no statistically significant differences between these groups and vitamin C. Daily live weight gains of the groups were found to be 80.7, 39.3, 49.8 and 53.6 grams respectively. There were statistically significant differences between the control (+) group and the others (p<0.05). The control group (+) vaccinated with Rev 1 had statistically significant positive antibody levels (<+/40) compared with the other groups (p<0.05). Because of the effect of increas-ing stress factors, the kids were infected with coccidioses after weaning. In the groups, 0, 6, 4 and 2 animals died because of the coccidioses respectively. There were no statistically significant differences among the groups in terms of mohair quality.

Keywords: Angora goat, kid, stress, antibody, vitamin C, vitamin E, Live weight, Coccidiosis.

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