Status of Trace Minerals And Colostral Immunoglobulin’s In Periparturient Goats And Its Signicance On Morbidity And Mortality of Goat Kids In Semi-Arid Zone of Northern Plains of India

The present study was designed to evaluate the variations of trace minerals status in blood at different stages of periparturient periods and colostrum and milk, colostrum immunoglobulin’s and morbidity and mortality were also evaluated in various recognized breeds of goats maintained at organized farms of CIRG in comparison to the non-descript goats maintained at farmers eld ock. The results reveal that blood, colostrum and milk levels of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) manganese (Mn) and cobalt (Co) were found to be signicantly lower at different stages of periparturient period in the Non-descript breed of goats of maintained at farmers eld ock. The colostrum immunoglobulin’s (IgG, IgM and IgA) were also found to be lowest in the non-descript breed of goats than recognized breeds of goats. The morbidity and mortality were found to be highest in goat kids born of non-descript breed of goats during pre weaning period in comparison to the recognized breeds. It can be concluded that the lower level of trace minerals during periparturient period in non-descript goats of farmers eld ocks might results in lower level of colostral immunoglobulin’s hence poor transfer of passive immunity in goat kids. Therefore, high morbidity and mortality of goat kids during pre weaning period than recognized breed of goats of the organized farms. mineral status of the newborn and colostral transfer of passive immunity, this assessment must be performed based on blood analysis (Kincaid 1999). However, there is scarcity of information on blood, colostrum and milk levels of trace minerals and immune status of goats during periparturient periods. to fulll this research gap, present study was undertaken to evaluate the status of trace minerals and colostrum immunoglobulin’s in periparturient goats in semi-arid zone of northern plains of India

The trace mineral status of an animal is important during times of stress, especially for transition period because of stress due to fetal growth, colostrums production, as well as other hormonal, physiological, dietary and environmental changes they face (Leeson 2005). Trace minerals such as copper, zinc and selenium de ciencies, impaired colostral transfer of immunoglobulin is the major reason of this decreased resistance of calves, mainly resulting in perinatal mortality and diarrhoea and can also impair acquired immunity in older calves (Enjalbert et al. 2006). Managing the risks due to trace elements de ciencies in neonates, rst needs an assessment of the trace mineral status of the herds, and because the trace element status of the dams strongly in uences the mineral status of the newborn and colostral transfer of passive immunity, this assessment must be performed based on blood analysis (Kincaid 1999). However, there is scarcity of information on blood, colostrum and milk levels of trace minerals and immune status of goats during periparturient periods. Therefore, to ful ll this research gap, present study was undertaken to evaluate the status of trace minerals and colostrum immunoglobulin's in periparturient goats in semi-arid zone of northern plains of India Materials And Methods: The study was conducted at Indian Council of Agricultural Research -Central Institute for Research on Goats (ICAR -CIRG), Mathura. The institute is located at an altitude of 163.4 meters above mean sea level at latitude of 27.10° N and a longitude of 77.9° E. The area has semi-arid climate and receives rain mostly in monsoon season of July to September. The entire farm level study was conducted on pregnant goats in the July-December season of breeding in the year 2017-18. Fourty (40) healthy pregnant goats of various breed were selected from organised farms of ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, Farah, Mathura and farmers ocks of local farmers in and around Mathura (n=10). Three recognized breed of goat's viz. Jamunapari, Barbari, Jakharana maintained at organized farms in different units of CIRG in semi-intensive system of rearing with continuous provisions of fodder and concentrates in the diet apart from grazing. However, non-descript goats (n=10) from local villagers (farmers eld ock) maintained on extensive system of rearing without any extra provisions of fodder and concentrates in the diet.
Recognized breed of goat's were properly vaccinated for PPR, ET, FMD and Goat pox with regular deworming at the farms while no such practices were adopted in the farmers eld ocks by local villagers.
Goats of various breeds with similar mean parity were selected after completion of about 2 months of pregnancy based on breeding record.
Selected goats were kept with ock on common feed source and grazing area with clean drinking water was provided ad libitum twice a day as per the rearing practice followed at livestock farm. 10 ml colostrum of each animals of various breeds of goats were centrifuged in 15 ml polypropylene centrifuge tubes (Tarsons ® ) at 6000 g for 30 minutes at 25°C resulting in separation of fat at top of the tube. 05 ml fat free colostrum was taken from below the fat layer using 05 ml sterile syringe and 16 gauge sterile hypodermic needle. 05 ml of fat free colostrum was diluted 1:1 with sterile PBS and again centrifuged at 3000 g X 30 minutes at 4°C resulting in separation of residual fat. 05 ml of this fat free and diluted colostrum was again collected from below the fat layer using 05 ml sterile syringe and 16 gauge sterile hypodermic needle. The obtained fat free colostrum was then divided into 03 aliquots of 01 ml each, processed and stored in cryovials at temperature < -20°C for further analysis.
IgG, IgM and IgA were estimated in fat free colostrum using goat speci c quantitative ELISA kits (Bioassay Technology Laboratory, Shanghai, China). CurveExpert basic version 1.4 software was used to draw standard curve for ELISA.
Health status of all kids born live from all selected goats of various breeds under study were observed on daily basis by the attending veterinarian and all disease occurrence/morbidity and mortality if any were recorded. Diseased kids were isolated from the group and treated separately. Data were recorded from various breeds under study on monthly basis and analyzed to assess the percent disease incidence/morbidity and mortality if any from birth to up to three month (weaning). Every death is recorded and post-mortem (PM) examination is conducted by a veterinarian as standard practice. Mortality due to trauma or predation was not considered in the study.

Results And Discussion:
There is very scanty information about the trace mineral status during periparturient period in goats, therefore the present study was undertaken with the objective to determine the variations in the blood levels of zinc, copper, iron, manganese and cobalt at various stages of periparturient period in various breeds of goats Blood levels of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) manganese (Mn) and cobalt (Co) were found to be similar in the recognized breeds (Jamunapari, Barbari and Jakharana) of goats at different stages of periparturient period, but the values were found signi cantly lower at different stages of periparturient period in the non-descript breed of goats in comparison to the recognized breeds under study (Table 1-   Mean with different superscript (A-D) in columns are differing signi cantly in between the groups, otherwise non-signi cant (p<0.05).
Mean with different superscript (a-l) in rows are differing signi cantly in between the intervals, otherwise non-signi cant (p<0.05).  Mean with different superscript (a-d) in rows are differing signi cantly in between the intervals, otherwise non-signi cant (p<0.05). Mean with different superscript (a-d) in rows are differing signi cantly in between the intervals, otherwise non-signi cant (p<0.05).
It was also observed in the all the breed of goats under study that the blood levels of Zn, Fe, Mn and Co showed increasing trends from mid gestation to parturition and thereafter it showed a decreasing trend from parturition to four weeks post-partum, these nding observed in present investigation are in partial agreement of the nding in which it was reported that decreasing tendency of iron towards parturition, Colostrum and milk levels were also assessed in the selected goats and it was observed that zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) manganese (Mn) and cobalt (Co) levels were found to be similar in the recognized breeds (Jamunapari, Barbari and Jakharana) of goats of organized farms (Table 6-10) but values in non-descript breed of goat of farmers eld ock were found signi cantly lower in colostrum and milk samples . These ndings might be due to poor nutritional status of non-descript goats as they had low blood level of these trace minerals, therefore the trace minerals levels of colostrum and milk levels were found to be low than the recognized breed under study as they are maintained on the good dietary nutrition (Leeson 2005). Mean with different superscript (a-b) in rows are differing signi cantly in between the intervals, otherwise non-signi cant (p<0.05). Mean with different superscript (a-b) in rows are differing signi cantly in between the intervals, otherwise non-signi cant (p<0.05). Mean with different superscript (a-d) in rows are differing signi cantly in between the intervals, otherwise non-signi cant (p<0.05). Mean with different superscript (a-b) in rows are differing signi cantly in between the intervals, otherwise non-signi cant (p<0.05). Mean with different superscript (a-b) in rows are differing signi cantly in between the intervals, otherwise non-signi cant (p<0.05).
It was also observed in the all the breed of goats under study that the colostrum levels of zinc, copper, iron, manganese and cobalt were found to be signi cantly higher in comparison to the milk samples after four weeks of kidding, showing a decreasing trend from colostrum to milk. Relatively very little work has been done on assessment of trace minerals concentrations in colostrum and milk during the early post-partum period. However, it was reported that the average concentrations of copper, iron, zinc and manganese in colostrum were many  (Table 11). The reduction in the values colostral immunoglobulin's in non-descript goat might be due to fact that they are maintained on a low plane of nutrition than the recognized breed of goats under study.
These ndings are in agreement with the ndings earlier reported that diet plays a signi cant role in enhancement of immune responses of small ruminants around parturition (Caroprese et al. 2015). Trace minerals de ciencies, may impair colostral transfer of immunoglobulin, which is the might be the reason of decreased immunoglobulin's in the colostrum of Non-descript goats (Enjalbert et al. 2006). Mean with different superscript (a-b) in rows are differing signi cantly in between the breeds, otherwise non-signi cant (p<0.05).
The highest morbidity and mortality was recorded in goat kids born of non-descript breed of goats in rst month, second month and third month in comparison to the recognized breeds of goats' viz. Jamunapari, Barbari and Jakharana (Table 12). Failure of passive transfer of immunity (FPTI) due to poor quality of colostrum viz. reduced levels of colostrum immunoglobulin's and trace minerals status in present investigation might be the reason for increased morbidity and mortality in goat kids born from non-descript breed of goats. It is very well known fact that neonates of farmed ruminants are agammaglobulinemic at birth and have immature innate and adaptive immune system and to resist infections in early postnatal life, they solely depend on maternal immunoglobulins present in colostrum (Radostits et al. 2007).
It is also reported that moderate trace mineral de ciencies are more likely to occur, especially during the transition period, affecting the health of both cows and calves (Linn et al. 2011). The high kid morbidity/mortality is the most signi cant syndrome affecting the goat rearing and the main losses occurred in the rst three months of life. Therefore, efforts should be made to minimize neonatal morbidity/mortality of goat kids to overcome this problem and to make goat rearing more pro table. It is now a well established fact that pregnant animals undergo some sort of immunosuppressive/ immunotolerant phase during gestation.
The main reason behind this is the negative effect of metabolic stress on the immune function, health, and production during this period is well established (Sordillo and Aitken 2009). Metabolic stress starts several weeks before parturition, and therefore can potentially affect the fetus also (Sordillo and Raphael 2013). This may results into various acquired infections due to failure of passive transfer of immunity are considered a major cause of delayed and late postnatal diseases in neonates of farmed ruminants as at birth neonates are agammaglobulinemic and have immature innate and adaptive immune system and to resist infections in early postnatal life, they solely depend on maternal immunoglobulins present in colostrum (Radostits et al. 2007). Failure of passive transfer of immunity (FPTI) due to poor quality or inadequate ingestion of colostrum leads to increased morbidity and mortality in farm animals. Colostrum contains different immune components viz. immunoglobulins, antimicrobial peptides, cytokines, leukocytes and milk oligosaccharides etc. Mechanisms responsible for their synthesis factors regulating them are still poorly understood. This knowledge gap makes it di cult to select nutrientnutraceutical approach which although has proven immunomodulatory activity to alter the immune quality of colostrum. The trace mineral status of an animal is important during times of stress, especially for transition period because of stress due to fetal growth, colostrums production, as well as other hormonal, physiological, dietary and environmental changes they face (Leeson 2005). Colostrum is the main source of minerals for the neonates; hence mineral content of colostrum is largely affected by mineral supplementation to the dam during the transition period. Therefore, the use of supplemental trace minerals prior to parturition to increase the trace mineral content in fetal tissues and colostrum may help to enhance immunity in the neonates. Trace minerals such as copper, zinc and selenium de ciencies, impaired colostral transfer of immunoglobulin, which is the major reason of decreased resistance of calves, mainly resulting in perinatal mortality and also impair the acquired immunity in older calves (Enjalbert et al. 2006). Declarations: