Effect of selenium, zinc, and copper supplementation on blood metabolic profile in male buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves.

Twenty male buffalo calves (15 months, 200.2 ± 9.75) were divided into four groups of five animals in each and fed diets without (T1) or supplemented with 0.3 ppm selenium (Se) + 40 ppm zinc (Zn) (T2), 0.3 ppm Se + 40 ppm Zn + 10 ppm copper (Cu) (T3), and 40 ppm Zn + 10 ppm Cu (T4) for 120 days, during which blood samples were collected on days 0, 40, 80, and 120. Concentrations of glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, urea, uric acid, and creatinine were similar in all the four groups. The level of different serum enzymes viz. lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, and hormones viz. T(3), T(4), testosterone and insulin were similar (P > 0.05) among the four groups but the ratio of T(4)/T(3) was reduced (P < 0.05) in the groups (T2 and T3) where selenium was supplemented at 120th day of supplementation. It was deduced that supplementation of 0.3 ppm Se and/or 10.0 ppm of Cu with 40 ppm Zn had no effect on blood metabolic profile in buffalo calves, except the ratio of T(4) and T(3) hormone which indicates that selenium plays an important role in converting T(4) hormone to T(3) which is more active form of thyroid hormone.