Evaluation of ameliorative efficiency of vitamin E and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast on arsenic toxicity in Black Bengal kids

Abstract

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the mitigation strategy of the arsenic toxicity induced in Black Bengal kids through dietary supplementation of vitamin E or yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or combination of both. Thirty number of Black Bengal kids (6.15 ± 0.32 kg, 142.87 ± 9.28 days) were divided into equal five groups. Kids under control group (T0) and other treatment groups (T1, T2, T3 and T4) were fed with similar type of basal diet containing concentrate mixture and sorghum sudan grass. Kids under T1, T2, T3 and T4 were fed with 50 ppm arsenic (As)/kg DM of feed in the form of sodium arsenite (NaAsO2). Kids under T2, T3 and T4 were supplemented with Vitamin E (250 IU/kg DM of feed), yeast culture (S. cerevisiae) (4 × 109 CFU/kid/d) and combination of vitamin E and S. cerevisiae with same doses, respectively. The feeding experiment was continued for 20 weeks. Challenge feeding of arsenic (As) significantly (P < 0.001) reduced body weight gain in kids under T1 (only As fed) than control T0 (without As); however, weight gain in T2, T3 and T4 was replenished due to supplementation of vitamin E or yeast culture (S. cerevisiae) or combination of both vitamin E and yeast culture. Similarly, ADG (g/d) was decreased (P < 0.01) in kids under T1 than other treatments (T0, T2, T3 and T4). Induction of arsenic toxicity decreased (P < 0.001) intakes of DM (g/d/kg W0.75) and CP (g/d/kg W0.75) in kids. Feed conversion efficiency (growth as percentage of DMI) was lowest (P < 0.01) in arsenic fed kids (T1). The values ranged from 8.38 (T1) to 9.31 (T0). However, comparable FCE was observed among T0, T2, T3 and T4. Supplementation of vitamin E or S. cerevisiae or combination of both have compensated the DMI, CPI, weight gain and ADG; consequently increased feed conversion efficiency in kids as compared to As fed kids (T1). Arsenic load was significantly (P < 0.01) greater in faeces, hair and urine of As fed group (T1); which was reduced (P < 0.01) by supplementation of vitamin E alone (T2) or combination of vitamin E and S. cerevisiae (T4). Supplementation of S. cerevisiae alone was not much effective in reducing the arsenic load in faeces or urine or hair in arsenic intoxicated animals. Challenge feeding of As for 140 days exhibited some clinical signs; like "raindrops on the dusty road” like symptom on skin, mouth lesions, rough skin, alopecia, visible pathological changes in some internal organs (like liver, lungs etc.) and diarrhoea. However, such symptoms were less pronounced in the kids supplemented with vitamin E or combination of vitamin E and yeast culture. Therefore, supplementation of vitamin E (@ 250 IU/kg DM of feed) either alone or along with S. cerevisiae (@ 4 × 109 CFU/kid/d) was partially effective in ameliorating the voluntary feed intake, growth and arsenic load in faeces, urine and hair of Black Bengal kids induced with toxic dose of arsenic @ 50 mg/kg DM of feed as sodium arsenite.