1Department of Livestock Production and Management, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai-600 007, India.
2Department of Livestock Production and Management, Veterinary College and Research Institute Namakkal-637 001.
3Livestock Research Station, Kattupakkam-603 203.
*This forms part of Ph.D. Thesis submitted by the first author to Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai-600 051.
Thirty six Large White Yorkshire gilts in the age group of 5 months were selected and randomly divided into 6 groups consisting of 6 animals each. Among these, 3 groups were reared under intensive and 3 groups under semi-intensive system of management. In each system group 1 devoid of antioxidants and treated as control, group 2 supplemented with Vitamin E 22IU and group 3 both Vitamin E 22IU and selenium 0.3ppm. The average litter size at birth was significantly higher in gilts fed with both vitamin selenium (10.83±0.40 and 12.50±0.22) and Vitamin E alone (10.17±0.40) and 11.50±0.34) than the devoid of antioxidants (7.83±0.17 and 8.33±0.21) under intensive and semi-intensive system respectively. Similarly the litter weight at birth and at weaning were significantly (P<0.01) higher in antioxidant supplemented groups. The mortality rate remained significantly (P<0.05) lower in treatment groups. There were highly significant (P<0.01) reduction both in SGOT and SGPT activity at gestation and Lactation systems by antioxidant supplementation irrespective of the systems.
