Abstract
Blood tocopherol, selenium, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and lipid peroxide levels were examined in dairy cows after injecting them intramuscularly with tocopherol of 1, 000mg (E group) or tocopherol of 1, 000mg and selenium of 50mg (ESe group) at a week interval from 8weeks before parturition. Serum and red blood cell tocopherol levels of the E group and control decreased from 2 weeks before parturition, and markedly low levels followed after parturition. However, red blood cell tocopherol of the ESe group remained high levels. Serum selenium and blood GSH-Px activities of the E group and control showed low levels, and especially indicated deficient levels just before and after parturition. Blood GSH-Px activities in the ESe group elevated significantly (p<0.05) after 5weeks of selenium injection, and showed significantly (p<0.05) higher levels than the E group and control. Then, serum lipid peroxide levels of the E group and control after parturition increased markedly, but for the ESe group slightly.
