Effect of Dietary Betaine on Oxidative Stress and Immune Response in Postpartum Lactating Murrah Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) during Hot-Humid Season

ABSTRACT Excessive heat and humidity causes reduction in appetite of postpartum buffaloes which directly leads negative energy balance (NEBAL) and increases oxidative stress in animals. Betaine is a growth promoting nutritional additive used in livestock. Betaine contains three methyl groups and thus acts as a methyl donor for metabolic reactions. Betaine acts as molecular chaperone, as it repairs heat shock proteins. The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of dietary betaine on heat and metabolic stress during lactation in Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). For this purpose, a total of 18 postpartum Murrah buffaloes were randomly divided into control, low betaine and high betaine groups supplemented with betaine @ 50 g/animal/day and 100 g/animal/day respectively from day 5 postpartum and was continued up to 4 months postpartum. 5ml of blood sample was collected from animal for analysis of superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, HSP70, albumin/globulin ratio and immunoglobin G. The overall mean values of plasma superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity and immunoglobin G of high betaine group was numerically higher than other groups which differed (p