Thirty-two Merino lambs fed barley straw and a concentrate alone (CONTROL group) or enriched with carnosic acid (0.6 g kg-1 dry matter (DM), CARN006 group , 1.2 g kg-1 DM, CARN012 group) or vitamin E (0.6 g kg-1 DM, VITE006 group) were used to assess the effect of these antioxidant compounds on blood parameters and immune response. Lambs were blood sampled after 5 weeks of being fed the experimental diets. Haemoglobin and red blood cells counts revealed interferences between dietary iron and antioxidants (vitamin E and carnosic acid), although the mean values for all these parameters were physiological in all the groups. Lymphocytes counts were lower in VITE006 group, but there was a trend towards a higher gamma-interferon production in this group, thus indicating the existence of more activated cells. The groups being fed carnosic acid did not show significant differences in gamma-interferon production when compared to CONTROL lambs, but higher monocytes counts were detected in CARN012 animals. The results obtained in the present study seem to indicate that vitamin E and carnosic acid could show different mechanisms of action on immune response.

3 páginas, 2 tablas.-- Trabajo presentado a las XIV Jornadas sobre Producción Animal (AIDA) (Zaragoza, 17 al 18 de mayo del 2011).

Peer reviewed