Effects of co-administration of vitamin B12 with diminazene aceturate on packed cell volume and weight gain in cattle experimentally infected with <i>Trypanosoma congolense</i>

Abstract

The effects of co-administration of cyanocobalamin and/or hydroxocobalamin with diminazene aceturate (DA) on, pack cell volume and weight gain in cattle experimentally infected with Trypanosoma congolense was studied. Twenty eight young zebu bulls aged 10-16 months with an average weight of 92.02 ± 14.74 kg were randomly distributed into 4 groups. These bulls were infected with Trypanosoma congolense intravenously at a dose rate of 1×105 suspended in 4 ml of phosphate buffered saline per animal. Each group was treated with a commercial medication containing DA ,cyanocobalamin and/or hydroxocobalamin 10 days post-infection. Haematological examination showed no trypanosomes irrespective of the regimen administered 48 hours post-treatment in all infected cattle. Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and weight gain was highest with the regimen containing DA, cyanocobalamin and hydroxocobalamin. The trypanocidal regimens containing DA co-administered with cyanocobalamin and/or hydroxocobalamin enabled a rapid reconstitution of red blood cells and led to improvement in the weight gain of the trypanosome-infected cattle. Keywords: Cattle, diminazene aceturate, packed cell volume, trypanosomiasis, vitamin B12, weight gain.