Effects of Exogenous Enzymes and Salix babylonica L. Extract on Cellular Immune Response and its Correlation with Average Daily Weight Gain in Growing Lambs

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of exogenous enzyme (EZ) and Salix babylonica L. (SB) extract on cellular immune response, and its correlation with average daily weight gain (ADG). Twenty Suffolk lambs, 6-8 months of age and average live weight of 24±0.3 kg, were used in a trial which lasted 60 days. The lambs were distributed into 4 groups of 5 lambs each and housed in individual 1.5x1.5 m cages in a completely randomized design. The treatments were: (i) Control; lambs consuming basal diet (BD) only; (ii) EZ; lambs consuming BD plus 10g of EZ (ZADO®); (iii) SB; lambs consuming BD plus 30 mL of SB, and (iv) EZSB; lambs consuming BD plus 10g EZ and 30 mL of SB. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 and analysed for helper T lymphocytes, cytotoxic T limphocytes, granulocytes and monocytes by flow cytometry. Treatments had no effect on parameters measured, but day of sampling had linear and cubic effects on helper T lymphocytes, granulocytes and monocytes (P<0.01) and cubic effects on cytotoxic T lymphocytes (P<0.01). The results suggest that EZ and SB have immunosuppressant effects in the first 15 days, after this effect were immunosuppressive on cytotoxic T lymphocytes and granulocytes, for monocytes the effect was immunostimulant. No there were correlation between ADG and cellular immune response in this experiment.