Vitamin E status of prepartum and postpartum dairy cows and newborn calves

Abstract

Eleven primiparous and ten multiparous Holstein Friesian cows and their calves were studied to evaluate vitamin E status of prepartum and postpartum period. Plasma α-tocopherol concentrations of multiparous cows were higher than those of primiparous cows. Multiparous cows had larger decrease and increase in plasma α-tocopherol and total lipid concentrations round about the time of parturition than primiparous cows. Alpha-tocopherol concentrations in colostrum of multiparous cows were twice high as those of primiparous cows. Plasma α-tocopherol concentrations of calves from multiparous cows were higher than those of primiparous cows on 5 days of the age. Plasma α-tocopherol concentrations of calves started to decrease on 5 or 15 days of the age and showed 23 μg/ dl on 90 days of the age.

The results of this study indicated that higher plasma α-tocopherol levels of multiparous cows than primiparous cows afford their calves higher plasma α-tocopherol levels immediately after birth because of higherα -tocopherol concentrations in the colostrum. Plasma α-tocopherol concentrations of calves decrease as the calves become dependent upon calf starter with low α-tocopherol concentration.