Prepartum vitamin A supplementation enhances goat doe health status and kid viability and performance

Abstract

Vitamin A plays important roles in many physiological processes including, vision, growth, development and reproduction. Recently, vitamin A was shown to have a thermogenic effect via induction of uncoupling protein 1 expression in brown adipose tissue. We investigated the effect of vitamin A supplementation on pregnant goats and the metabolites related to does’ health, and their kids’ viability and growth performance. Thirty pregnant does were assigned to two experimental groups of 15 animals each. The first group was injected with vitamin A (50,000IU) twice a week for 1 month before kidding. The second (control) group was injected with saline. Sera were obtained from the does and kids to evaluate health related metabolites. The kids’ birth and weaning weights, body weight gain, rectal temperature, and the incidence of stillbirth were recorded. Vitamin A supplementation increased serum levels of vitamin A and globulin of the does before and after kidding. In addition, it increased serum levels of glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol after kidding (P<0.05). However, serum levels of AST and ALT before kidding were decreased (P<0.05). Vitamin A supplementation to the pregnant doses increased their kids’ serum level of vitamin A, rectal temperature, birth weight and body weight gain (P<0.05), while it decreased kid mortality rate. This study indicated that vitamin A supplementation to pregnant goats enhanced their health, and their kids’ viability and growth performance, thus improving profitability.