UNIVERSIDADE DO ESTADO DE SANTA CATARINA-UDESC CENTRO DE EDUCAÇÃO SUPERIOR DO OESTE – UDESC OESTE PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM ZOOTECNIA

Master's Dissertation Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zootecnia Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina METAFILATIC EFFECT OF MINERALS ON HEALTH, PERFORMANCE, MEAT CHEMICAL-PHYSICAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY OF LAMBS AUTHOR: Chrystian Jassanã Cazarotto ADVISOR: Aleksandro Schafer da Silva Chapecó 16 of July of 2018 The objective of this study was to evaluate if there is a metaphylactic effect of minerals (zinc, copper, selenium and manganese) on performance, meat quality, immune responses and antioxidants, as well as if mineral application is able to prevent coccidiosis. One hundred and ten newborn Lacaune lambs were divided into two groups: control (untreated n = 55) and treated (n = 55) with three doses of 0.33 ml/kg of mineral complex in days of life 1, 30 and 60. The diet offered to the animals was the same and the consumption did not differ between groups (P > 0.05). All animals were weighed at day 1, 30, 60, 90 and 150. Blood samples were collected for the evaluation of immune response, antioxidant levels and serum biochemical parameters (hepatic, lipid and protein modulation). Concomitant to the blood collections were collected from animals feces to investigate oocysts of gastrointestinal parasites in order to measure the level of infection of the animals. The treated lambs were heavier (P < 0.05) on days 15, 45, 60 and 90 of the experiment. On day 30 there was no difference in weight, a period that coincided with a coccidiosis outbreak that was more severe in the control group. Catalase activity did not differ between groups (10/group), while superoxide dismutase and xanthine oxidase activities were higher (P < 0.05) in treated lambs compared to control. Serum levels of total protein and globulins were higher (P < 0.05) in animals supplemented on days 15, 30 and 45, which constitutes a stimulation of the immune response. This hypothesis was confirmed by increased lymphocytes (day 45) as well as serum levels of immunoglobulins (IgM and IgG) in treated animals (days 15 and 30) compared to control. Serum glucose levels were higher in the treated group on day 15 and 30. The mortality of treated animals was 7.27% lower than that of the control. At 150 days of life, 12 animals were slaughtered for physicalchemical analysis of meat, oxidant and antioxidant status, and for allometric analysis. There was an increase in the fat thickness (P <0.004), as well as the pH (P < 0.002) was lower in the meat of the treated group than in the control group. In the control group, the meat was lighter (according to the luminosity (color L)) (P < 0.04), as there was greater weight loss per cooking (P < 0.004). The shear force was lower in the meat of treated lambs (P < 0.008), suggesting that the application of minerals was associated with an increase in meat tenderness. In addition, catalase and superoxide dismutase activity were higher (P < 0.01) in animals in the treated group, associated with a reduction in the levels of reactive oxygen species (P < 0.01) and lipid peroxidation products (P = 0.02). We conclude that the metaphoric effect of minerals is beneficial to the health of the lamb, increasing the antioxidant and immune defenses, reflected by greater weight gain and minimizing coccidiosis. Furthermore, these data suggest that the minerals had a nutraceutical effect due to modulating oxidant and antioxidant status, reflecting better meat quality.