Comparative study of efficacy of prepartum injection of multivitamins and selenium- vitamin E (ά-tocopherol)-combination on post-partum clinical findings, serum steroids, calf and placental weights, and milk antioxidant biomarkers changes in female dromedary camel

BACKGROUND: All concentrates given to camels were enriched in selenium (Se) in selenite form. The impacts of Se supplementation on lactating female health, milk, and Se/antioxidant statuses received no research interest. AIM: The current study aimed to compare the efficacy of long-term prepartum injection of Se-vitamin E combination and multivitamins on maternal post-calving clinical findings, serum steroid hormones, milk antioxidants, milk somatic cell count (SCC) status, calf body weight, placental weight (PW), and vaginal wash isolates. METHODS: From three equal groups of postpartum she-camels (n = 45), one group received no treatment and served as control group (Cont.; n = 15). For 3 months prepartum, one group had received a combination of vitamin E (ά-tocopherol) and Se (VitE-Se-; n = 15), and the third one received multivitamins (Multi-; n = 15). All dams were subjected to clinical and laboratory assays including milk total antioxidant capacity (TAC), Se, vitamin E, and milk SCC on Days 14, 21, and 28 post-calving. Steroid hormones and calf and PW were estimated at birth (Day 0). RESULTS: The study reported higher efficacy of Se-vitamin E combination comparing with that of multivitamins as a long-term prepartum injection in recently calved she-camels that was reflected through significant changes in steroids hormones (Drop), i.e., progesterone (P4) and estradiol (E2), the milk antioxidant biomarkers (Elevation), i.e., TAC, Se, vitamin E, and milk SCCs (Reduction). Both two therapeutic regimens had a more powerful effect that the control one. CONCLUSION: The applied therapeutic supplements had no significant effect on clinical and hematological changes as well as calves’ body weights and PWs. Body weights were significantly higher in male camel calves than those of female calves either in Cont., VitE-Se-, or Multi-.