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Abstract
Sixty-six cows and heifers (Holsteins and Jerseys) were assigned to one of three treatments at 60 d before anticipated calving. Treatment 1 consisted of 100 IU/d of supplemental vitamin E during the dry period and 100 IU/d during the first 30 d of lactation. Treatment 2 was 1000 IU/d of vitamin E during the dry period and 500 IU/d during lactation. Treatment 3 was 1000 IU/d of vitamin E during the first 46 d of the dry period, 4000 IU/d during the last 14 d of the dry period, and 2000 IU/d during lactation. Plasma concentrations of α-tocopherol decreased at calving for cows fed dietary treatments with low or intermediate concentrations of vitamin E, but not for cows fed the high vitamin E treatment. High dietary vitamin E increased concentrations of α-tocopherol in blood neutrophils at parturition, but no difference was found for the other two treatments. The percentage of quarters with new infections at calving was not different (32.0%) between cows receiving treatments that contained low and intermediate concentrations of vitamin E but was reduced (11.8%) in cows receiving the high vitamin E treatment. Clinical mastitis affected 25.0, 16.7, and 2.6% of quarters during the first 7 d of lactation for cows receiving the low, intermediate, and high vitamin E treatments, respectively. Cows with plasma concentrations of α-tocopherol <3.0 μg/ml at calving were 9.4 times more likely to have clinical mastitis during the first 7 d of lactation than were cows with plasma concentrations of α-tocopherol >3.0 μg/ml.
Key words
Abbreviation Key:
α-T (α-tocopherol), GSHpx (glutathione peroxidase)References
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 10,
1997
Received:
April 15,
1996
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© 1997 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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