Oxidative Stress in Transition Dairy Cattle: Current Knowledge and the Potential Impact of Supplementing Organic Trace Elements

The transition period in dairy cows entails three weeks around the time of calving and is considered a critical time for the entire lactation cycle. During that time, cows can demonstrate tremendous alterations of metabolic status and a dramatic change in cow`s immune system, as well as the pro-oxidant/antioxidant status. In this review, we present contemporary perspectives of the redox status in dairy cattle during the transition period and its effects on health and production with special reference to metabolic derangements, insulin resistance, assessment of redox status and the potential significance of supplementing non-organic and chelating trace elements to the transition cows.