Effects of β-carotene on growth performance,serum biochemical,antioxidant,immune,and reproductive related indices in peripartum beef cows

SU Riguga; TIAN Jing; HE Yunmei; ZHAO Hongyan; CHE Lu; WANG Guanglei; GAO Shuxin; TIAN Rugang

doi:10.13557/j.cnki.issn1002-2813.2025.19.003

Abstract：The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of β-carotene on the serum biochemical,immune,and antioxidant indices in beef cows during the peripartum period.Fifteen healthy Simmental cows(45 days before calving)with good body condition,similar body weight,and parity were selected,and randomly divided into three groups with five replicates per group and one cow per replicate.The control group was fed a basal diet,while trial group Ⅰ and Ⅱ were supplemented with 500 mg/(head·d)and 1 500 mg/(head·d)of β-carotene,respectively.The pre-feeding period lasted 15 days,and the formal trial period was 60 days.The results showed that compared with the control group,serum albumin(ALB)and high-density lipoprotein(HDL)concentrations were significantly increased in the trial group Ⅱ(P＜0.05).Serum superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity was extremely increased(P＜0.01),and malondialdehyde(MDA)content in both trial groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ was extremely reduced(P＜0.01).Compared with the control and trial group Ⅰ,serum glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)and catalase(CAT)activities were extremely increased in the trial group Ⅱ(P＜0.01).Serum concentrations of interleukin-4(IL-4),immunoglobulin G(IgG),and immunoglobulin M(IgM)were significantly higher in the trial group Ⅱ compared to the control group(P＜0.05),while interleukin-10(IL-10)content was extremely increased(P＜0.01).The return-to-estrus time after calving was significantly shorter in trial groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ compared to the control group(P＜0.05),and the concentrations of luteinizing hormone(LH)and follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH)in the serum were higher than those in the control group.The study shows that dietary supplementation with 1 500 mg/(head·d)of β-carotene can enhance immune function and antioxidant capacity,shorten the return-to-estrus interval,and promote the secretion of reproductive hormones in peripartum beef cows.