2018 Volume 71 Issue 8 Pages 437-442
Effects of grazing on a native pasture or group pens for oxidative stress responses and some immune and nutritional parameters were investigated using Japanese Black cows. As a result of the blood inspection, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), the index for oxidative stress, was significantly lower and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, the index for anti-oxidative stress, was significantly higher in the second half of the grazing period (P＜0.05). Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), total cholesterol (T-Cho), retinol (VA), and α-tocopherol (VE), which evaluate the nutritional status, were significantly higher in the grazing group compared with the non-grazing group during the grazing period (P＜0.05). These results suggest that grazing increases the fat-soluble vitamin concentration and SOD activity to remove active oxygen through the ingestion of a lot of grass, which is rich in protein and fat-soluble vitamins, and possibly reduces oxidative stress.
