The purpose of the doctoral thesis was to verify whether preventive supplementation of vitamins AD3E or a combination of vitamin E and selenium to dairy cows during the peripartum period would have a positive impact on reducing metabolic, oxidative, and heat stress and its effects on health and reproductive parameters. We determined the concentration of vit. E and Se, SOD and GPX activity and TAS, NEFA in BHB values in blood plasma in the treated group of dairy cows (N=16) and the control group (N=18) in four consecutive measurements, ranging from one week before parturition to four weeks after parturition. Supplementation of vit. E and Se was effective for cows at parturition since the measurements show that the desired levels of vitamins were maintained during calving and there was a reduction of decline at the beginning of lactation. In the case of the control group, the progressive deterioration of the antioxidant activity, or the TAS parameter, was observed with the development of lactation. Supplementation of Se and vit. E. increased the efficiency of the antioxidant protection response, and the activity of SOD and GPX enzymes gradually increased in the treated group throughout the monitored period. The highest average content of NEFA and BHB in blood plasma was recorded in both groups two weeks after delivery. However, the concentration of NEFA and BHB was significantly lower in the treated group. In the treated group of dairy cows, significantly fewer cases of retained placenta, endometritis, and ovarian cysts were diagnosed after delivery. The required time for uterine involution was significantly shorter in the treated group. There was also a difference in the success rate of the initial insemination and the length of the service interval. In the second part of the research, we further examined whether the preventive supplementation of vit. E and Se can also be associated with the success rate of embryo transfer in cows. The number of successful embryo implantations was higher in the treated group. In this group, 64.7% of heifers remained pregnant and gave birth to healthy calves. In the control group, the implantation success rate was 41.2%. In our study, we were able to demonstrate that preventive measures can hinder the effects of oxidative stress and strengthen the ability of the organism to remove ROS and improve the energy status of cattle better.
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