SERUM ENZYMES AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SHEEP AS INFLUENCED BY SELENIUM AND VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENTATION

The effects of selenium and vitamin E supplementation on serum enzyme concentration and some biochemical profiles of Yankasa sheep were investigated. Thirty post-pubertal ewes (1 – 1 ½ years of age) were used for this study. The ewes were randomly assigned into 3 groups (n= 10). Animals in group I served as control and were administered 1 ml normal saline. Animals in group 2 were administered 100 mg Tocopherol acetate (Vitamin E), while group 3 received injection containing a combination of 100 mg tocopherol acetate and 1.97 mg sodium selenite. Two doses of these injections were administered 14 days apart (subcutaneously). The result indicates that treatment had no effect (p> 0.05) on the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase. A significant increase in the concentration of glutathione peroxidase was induced following administration of vitamin E and a combination of vitamin E and selenium (p< 0.05).Treatment also resulted in decreased levels of lactate dehydrogenase (p< 0.05). Serum levels of total protein, albumin, globulin, creatinine and urea were not affected by treatments (p> 0.05). It can be concluded that selenium and vitamin E administration resulted in higher serum levels of glutathione peroxidase indicating improved antioxidant status.