Effect of body condition score on oxidative stress and milk quality in healthy Anatolian buffaloes

The present study evaluated whether body condition score (BCS) affects oxidative stress and milk quality in healthy Anatolian buffaloes. Animals were allocated to four groups according to BCS: Group 1 (n = 12; BCS ≤2.5), Group 2 (n = 15; BCS 2.5–3), Group 3 (n = 17; BCS 3–3.5), and Group 4 (n = 13; BCS ≥3.5). Only CMT-negative and pathogen-free milk samples were included. Somatic cell count (SCC), total antioxidant status (TAS), and total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) were evaluated. Significant differences among groups were observed for TOS, OSI, and SCC (P < 0.05). TOS was higher in Group 1 than in Group 3 (P < 0.01), whereas OSI was lower in Group 3 than in Group 1 (P < 0.01). SCC was higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 and Group 3 (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). In conclusion, BCS influenced oxidative stress parameters and SCC, suggesting that altered fat metabolism may negatively affect milk quality.