Determination of plasma Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) in cows with sub clinical mastitis

Mastitis is the inflammatory reaction of the udder to invading pathogens, characterized by pathological changes in the mammary tissue, an increase in the number of somatic cells, physical, chemical and microbiological changes in the milk. The objective of the present study was to determine plasma, total antioxidant status in the cows with subclinical mastitis and healthy cows. Milk and heparinized blood samples were collected from 45 normal cows and 45 cows with subclinical mastitis from dairy cattle in khouzestan province, Behbahan, Iran. The result showed that the most dominant isolated bacterium from subclinical mastitis samples was staphylococcus aureus (N=17). No significant difference (P>0.05) was shown between plasma TAS concentrations in the studied groups. The correlation between SCC and total antioxidant status was negative and significant (P<0.001). Optimum antioxidant intake in the feed may enhance the resistance against subclinical mastitis.