Effect of dietary boron on immune function in growing beef steers*
- 5 May 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition
- Vol. 94 (3), 273-279
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0396.2008.00906.x
Abstract
Thirty-six Angus and Angus x Simmental cross steers (initial BW 269.5 +/- 22.3 kg) were used to determine the effects of dietary boron (B) on performance and immune function. Steers were fed on one of the three dietary treatments: (i) control (no supplemental B; 7.2 mg B/kg DM), (ii) 5 mg supplemental B/kg DM and (iii) 50 mg supplemental B/kg DM, from sodium borate for 78 days. Supplementation of dietary B had no effect on body weight (BW) gain, feed intake or gain:feed during the study. Jugular blood samples were collected prior to feeding on days 28, 63 and 77 for plasma-B analysis. Supplementation of dietary B increased (p < 0.001) plasma B-concentration in a dose-responsive manner. Furthermore, plasma B-concentration was correlated (p < 0.001; R(2) = 0. 95) to daily B-intake (mg B/day). Jugular blood was also collected, from an equal number of steers from each treatment, on day 42 or 44 for determination of in vitro production of interferon-gamma and tumour necrosis factor-alpha from isolated monocytes and assessment of lymphocyte proliferation. Dietary B did not affect T- or B-lymphocyte proliferation or in vitro cytokine production from monocytes. On day 49 of the study, the humoral immune response was assessed by i.m. injection of a 25% pig red blood cell (PRBC) solution for determination of anti-PRBC IgG and IgM titre responses. Boron-supplemented steers had greater (p = 0.035) anti-PRBC IgG titres than controls on day 7 but not on day 14 or 21 post-injection. Anti-PRBC IgM titres did not differ throughout the sampling period. Results from this study indicate that supplemental B had minimal effects on immune function and did not affect performance of growing steers.Keywords
This publication has 15 references indexed in Scilit:
- Dietary Boron: Evidence for a Role in Immune FunctionPublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,2007
- The Nutritional Importance and Pharmacological Potential of Boron for Higher Animals and HumanPublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,2002
- Inflammatory response, growth, and thyroid hormone concentrations are affected by long-term boron supplementation in gilts.Journal of Animal Science, 2001
- Boron Supplementation of a Semipurified Diet for Weanling Pigs Improves Feed Efficiency and Bone Strength Characteristics and Alters Plasma Lipid MetabolitesJournal of Nutrition, 2000
- Effect of breed (Angus vs Simmental) on immune function and response to a disease challenge in stressed steers and preweaned calves.Journal of Animal Science, 1999
- Effects of Dietary Copper and Molybdenum on Copper Status, Cytokine Production, and Humoral Immune Response of CalvesJournal of Dairy Science, 1998
- Boron Modulates Extracellular Matrix and TNFα Synthesis in Human FibroblastsBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 1998
- Influence of dietary zinc and dexamethasone on immune responses and resistance to Pastuerella hemolytica challenge in growing lambsNutrition Research, 1993
- Effects of dietary boron on mineral balance in sheepNutrition Research, 1989
- Boron Nutrition Of CropsPublished by Elsevier BV ,1980