Effects of vanadium supplementation on performance, some plasma metabolites and glucose metabolism in Mahabadi goat kids

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of vanadium (V) supplementation on performance, some plasma metabolites (cholesterol and triglycerides) and glucose metabolism in Mahabadi goat kids. Twenty-eight male kids (15 +/- 2kg body weight) were fed for 14weeks in a completely randomized design with four treatments. Treatments were supplemented with 0 (control), 1, 2, and 3mg V as vanadyl sulfate/animal/daily. On day 70, an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was conducted. Dry matter intake did not change by V supplementation, but adding V quadraticaly improved feed efficiency (p=.03) and tended to increase average daily gain (Quadratic, p=.09). Blood metabolites were unaffected by V supplementation, except for concentration of glucose in plasma, which decreased linearly as supplemental V level increased (p=.02). Plasma glucose concentrations at 15, 30, 45 and 60min after glucose infusion were decreased in a quadratic fashion in response to increasing supplemental V level (p<.01). The IVGTT indicated that the kids supplemented with 2mg V had higher glucose clearance rate (K) and lower glucose half-life (T-1/2; p<.05). Glucose area under the response curve from 0 to 60min and 0 to 180min after glucose infusion were decreased linearly (p=.04) by supplemental V. The results suggested that moderate supplementation of V may improve glucose utilization and feed efficiency in fattening kids.