Effect of maternal cottonseed feed on the immune and antioxidant status of Santa Ines lambs

Cottonseed has been used as a nutritional alternative in animal production. However, consequences of this nutrient in the progeny is not well characterized. Thus, this work evaluated the effect on the immune and antioxidant status of the progeny of feeding Santa Ines ewe with or without cottonseed. Twenty-four Santa Ines ewes were distributed in two feeding regimes: cottonseed (CS) concentrate (n = 12) and soybean (SB) concentrate (n = 12). After birth, lambs remained with their mothers and blood samples were collected at 1st, 3rd, 7th, 15th, 30th and 60th day of life of 24 lambs born from mothers fed with (CS, n = 12) or without (SB, n = 12) cottonseed. Serum total protein, albumin, alpha beta globulin, gamma globulin, immunoglobulin G and M, activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and variables related to iron metabolism were affected only by sampling times (P < 0.05). The concentration of serum total protein, alpha beta globulin, gamma globulin and immunoglobulin G and M, GPx activity and ORAC values decreased as lamb age increased. Serum albumin concentration and CAT activity, in turn, increased as lamb age increased. In this work, maternal feeding with cottonseed did not affect the serum protein profile and antioxidant status of progeny during the lactation period, indicating no transfer of gossypol effects by milk secretions. Thus, the alternative in ruminants feeding with cottonseed can be used without maternal-descendant effects to immunity and oxidative stress in lambs. (AU)