PLASMA AND LIVER ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL IN DAIRY-COWS WITH LEFT ABOMASAL DISPLACEMENT AND FATTY LIVER

Thirty dairy cows with left abomasal displacement (LAD) and 14 healthy control cows were studied to assess the status of the natural antioxi dant vitamin E, lipid peroxidation in the liver (malondialdehyde-forma tion) and its relationship to hepatic lipidosis. Blood concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, aminotransferase, glutamin dehydrogenase, free fa tty acids, beta-hydroxybutyrate and glucose mere determined. alpha-toc opherol, tryglyceride, glycogen and malondialdehyde (MDA) in wet liver tissue samples were examined. The dietary alpha-tocopherol intake and its plasma changes in LDA cows were also investigated Cows were divid ed into four groups according to their liver triglyceride contents (<2 0; 20-80; >80 mg/g of fresh tissue; and control groups). The lowest pl asma vitamin E and the highest liver vitamin E levels were found in co ws with highest hepatic triglyceride content. The highest increase in plasma alpha-tocopherol within 5 days was seen in cows with the lowest liver triglyceride (P < 0.01). The liver triglyceride was positively correlated with liver MDA (r = 0.38; P < 0.05) and negatively with pla sma alpha-tocopherol (r = -0.41; P < 0.01).