Antioxidant and energy supplementation alleviate oxidative stress and enhance milk production through modulation of hepatic antioxidant gene expression in transition dromedary camels.

The transition period around parturition in dromedary camels is characterized by profound metabolic and oxidative challenges that can compromise animal health and productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of targeted nutritional strategies on systemic oxidative stress, hepatic antioxidant gene expression, and milk production in multiparous dromedary camels during the transition period. Twenty-four camels were assigned to three dietary groups: control (basal diet), antioxidant-enriched (AOX; vitamin E, selenium, polyphenols derived from pomegranate peel (standardized to punicalagins and ellagitannins)), and energy-enriched (ENE; bypass fats and barley grain). Blood samples were collected weekly from - 45 to + 45 days relative to parturition, and liver biopsies were obtained at days - 30, 0, and + 30 for gene expression analysis. Results showed that AOX and ENE significantly reduced serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (P < 0.001) and enhanced activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), particularly at parturition (P < 0.01). Hepatic expression of antioxidant genes (CAT, GPX3, GCLC, GSR) was significantly upregulated in both supplemented groups compared to control (P < 0.05). Furthermore, both AOX and ENE groups exhibited higher milk yields without altering milk composition. Strong correlations (R² = 0.42-0.61) were observed between hepatic gene expression, systemic antioxidant markers, and milk output. These findings demonstrate that nutritional modulation can effectively enhance oxidative resilience and productive performance in transition camels and underscore the value of nutrigenomic approaches in optimizing camel health and management.