title: Depleted serum vitamin E concentrations precede left displaced abomasum in early-lactation dairy cows.
abstract: Cows with left displaced abomasum (LDA), a costly disease occurring primarily in multiparous dairy cows during early lactation, have been reported to have 40% lower circulating concentrations of vitamin E. It is unknown, however, whether the lower circulating α-tocopherol concentrations precede LDA or remain after LDA. Using a nested case-control design, blood samples taken at d -21, -14, -7, -3, -1, 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, and 49 postpartum from 7 multiparous Holstein cows diagnosed with LDA between d 6 and 32 postpartum and 10 healthy Holstein cows from the same herd were analyzed for serum concentrations of α-tocopherol and indicators of energy and nutrient status and inflammation. In addition to indicators of negative energy balance and inflammation, lower serum α-tocopherol concentrations preceded LDA and persisted after LDA correction. At the last blood sampling before LDA diagnosis, cows had serum α-tocopherol concentrations 45% lower (5.0 ± 0.9 vs. 9.1 ± 0.9 µM) and α-tocopherol to cholesterol molar ratios 39% lower (1.90 ± 0.19 vs. 3.09 ± 0.26) than those of healthy cows. Serum α-tocopherol concentrations remained lower (<10 vs. ~15 µM) up to d 49 postpartum in cows that had LDA. These findings indicate that lower serum α-tocopherol concentrations are a potential early indicator for the development of LDA in multiparous cows.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, College of Agriculture, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331-4802, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lytle
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Traber
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bobe
mesh_terms: D000018:Abomasum / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001361:Avitaminosis / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E; D002784:Cholesterol; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol