Antioxidant Status of Dairy Cows Supplemented Prepartum with Vitamin E and Selenium

Possible relationships among dietary antioxidants, oxidative status, and placental retention were investigated in periparturient dairy cows. During 6 wk prepartum, 16 cows each were given daily by capsule 1000 IU of vitamin E, 3 mg of Se, both vitamin E and Se, or neither (control). alpha-Tocopherol in serum and fast-acting antioxidants in plasma increased, but, in red blood cells, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances decreased during the last 6 wk before parturition in cows given vitamin E. These measurements were unaffected by supplementation of Se. Cows that had retained placenta > or = 12 h had lower fast-acting antioxidants in plasma and glutathione peroxidase in red blood cells up to 2 wk before calving than did cows that shed fetal membranes in < 12 h. Results suggest that inadequate dietary antioxidants may increase oxidative stress, production of lipid peroxides, and incidence of retained fetal membranes in dairy cows.