Abstract
The study aimed at defining the immunity risks connected with high iodine supplementation in ewes and their lambs. The feed ration for control group (C) of ewes (n=6) contained 3.1 mg of iodine per kilogram of dietary dry matter and for experimental group (E) of ewes (n=6) 5.1 mg of iodine per kilogram of dietary dry matter. The animals were fed the diets for 8 months. Parallelly with different iodine supplementation, some immunological parameters (percentage of γ-globulins, concentration of immunoglobulin G, and white blood cell count) were examined in ewes and their lambs. The difference in the average concentration of immunoglobulin G between the ewes of group C and E was not significant during the experiment. A significant decrease (P<0.01) in the concentration of immunoglobulin G from 19.6 mg/mL before the experiment to 9.8 mg/mL on day 60 of the experiment was demonstrated in the ewes of group E. The average percentage of γ-globulins in the whole period after parturition was lower in the ewes of group E than in group C. The concentration of immunoglobulin G and the percentage of γ-globulins in lambs from dams in group E was continually lower (P<0.01) for the entire period of 1-30 d and demonstrated immunological risks of the excessive intake of iodine. The obtained results document a dangerous influence of high iodine intake on immunity in the prenatal period in ewes and mainly in the postnatal period in their lambs.