The Effect of Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Injection during the Transition Period on Inflammatory and Antioxidant Indices of Dairy Cows

پژوهشهای علوم دامی ایران

Article 3, Volume 17, Issue 2 - Serial Number 62, June 2025, Pages 141-154   

Document Type: Research Articles

DOI: 10.22067/ijasr.2025.92312.1239

Authors

Mohammad Asadi^{* 1}; Reza Kamali¹; Nader Asadzadeh²

¹Department of Animal Sciences Research, Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Golestan Province, Gorgan, Iran

²Animal Science Research Institute of IRAN, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Iran

Abstract

Introduction: The physiological transition of dairy cows from late pregnancy to early lactation is accompanied by major changes in the utilization of carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids by adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle, which are in response to the energy deficit of early lactation, resulting from abundant milk production without adequate compensation in feed intake. On the other hand, increased inflammation, oxidative stress, adipose tissue mobilization, and metabolic disorders occur during the transition period. Inflammation is an evolutionarily conserved response that underlies many physiological and pathological processes; in response to stimuli associated with infection and tissue damage, immune components initiate a response and cause inflammation. Among the essential micronutrients, antioxidant supplements such as minerals and vitamins are of particular importance. Minerals and vitamins, which play an important role in the immune system, help fight infections and diseases, and are in a way a modulator of the inflammatory process, play a role in the antioxidant system through their presence in several significant proteins. Considering the importance of a successful transition from the transition period to the lactation period and its effects on animal performance and health, a study was conducted to investigate the effect of vitamin and mineral supplement injections during the transition period on inflammatory and antioxidant indices of dairy cows.
Materials and Methods: For this purpose, 32 cows with an average milk production of 19 ± 2.7 kg, multiple calving (second calving) and a body condition score of 3.5 ± 0.25 were divided into 4 treatments and 8 replications in a completely randomized design at the end of the gestation period. The experimental treatments included: 1) control group (no vitamin and mineral supplement injection), 2) treatment receiving injectable vitamin supplement, 3) treatment receiving injectable mineral supplement, and 4) treatment receiving both injectable vitamin and mineral supplements. Supplements were injected subcutaneously 28 days before calving. The vitamin supplement contained 50,000 IU of vitamin A (palmitate), 25,000 IU of vitamin D3, 21 mg of vitamin E (acetate), 6 mg of vitamin B1, 2 mg of vitamin B2, 5 mg of vitamin B6, 12.5 mg of vitamin B3 (nicotinamide), 3 μg of vitamin B12, 6 mg of di-panthenol, and 2 mg of vitamin C, and its injection dose was 20 ml per cow as recommended by the manufacturer, and the mineral supplement contained 400 mg of calcium bromide gluconate, 22 mg of magnesium hypophosphite, and 2 mg of copper per ml, and its injection dose was 100 ml per cow as recommended by the manufacturer. The cows were examined for health and multiple births before grouping; all animals were healthy and monogamous. To measure blood biochemical metabolites, inflammatory markers, and antioxidant status, blood samples were collected from 6 replicates of each treatment on days 21 before parturition, the day of parturition, and 21 days after parturition.
Results and Discussion: Albumin, globulin and albumin:globulin ratio were affected by the experimental treatments; so that the injection of minerals, vitamins and minerals and vitamins together caused a decrease in albumin and albumin:globulin ratio and an increase in globulin in the blood of cows. The injection of minerals and vitamins had no effect on the parameters of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein and urea. On the other hand, time also affected the parameters of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein, albumin, globulin and albumin:globulin ratio. Insulin, catalase, cortisol, glutathione peroxidase, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant status were affected by the experimental treatments; So that by injecting minerals, vitamins and minerals and vitamins together, insulin increased and total antioxidant status, catalase, cortisol, glutathione peroxidase, malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase decreased, and the lowest amount of glutathione peroxidase was for the group receiving minerals and vitamins simultaneously. All hormonal parameters and antioxidant indices were also affected by time. Haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, ceruloplasmin and vitamin D concentrations were affected by the experimental treatments, such that minerals and vitamins decreased the concentrations of haptoglobin, serum amyloid A and ceruloplasmin and increased vitamin D, and the lowest serum amyloid A and ceruloplasmin levels were for the group receiving minerals and vitamins simultaneously. All inflammatory indices were also affected by time. Alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity was affected by the experimental treatments, and minerals and vitamins decreased the activity of this enzyme. Aspartate transaminase and alanine aminotransferase enzymes were not affected by the experimental treatments. Time affected alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity, but other parameters were not affected by time.
Conclusion: Injection of minerals and vitamins in late pregnancy to dairy cows caused a significant effect on the parameters of albumin, globulin, albumin:globulin ratio, insulin, catalase, cortisol, glutathione peroxidase, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant status, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, serum amyloid A, vitamin D and alkaline phosphatase in the blood of cows receiving minerals and vitamins compared to the control group. Considering the greater improvement of co-injection of minerals and vitamins on albumin, glutathione peroxidase, serum amyloid A and ceruloplasmin in the blood of the treated cows, simultaneous injection of minerals and vitamins is recommended for cows in late pregnancy.

Keywords

Antioxidant status; Dairy cows; Inflammatory indices; Transition period; Vitamin and mineral supplements

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