Selenium and vitamin E are important antioxidants for cells and tissues protection acting directly as a support for the udder health. This experiment was designed to evaluate the influence of prepartum selenium and vitamin E supplementation on milk somatic cell counts of Holstein cows. Eighty four animals were allocated into four treatments: control; supplementation with 5 mg Se/day; supplementation with 1000 UI vitamin E/day and supplementation with 5 mg Se/day + 1000 UI vitamin E/day. The supplementation started thirty days prior to probable parturition date until parturition. Forage and concentrate samples were taken every fifteen days for chemical, selenium and vitamin E analyses. Blood samples were taken before starting supplementation, right after parturition, thirty and sixty days after it to determine the selenium serum levels. Milk samples were taken to determine SCC. Selenium supplemented cows had higher serum selenium concentration compared with control group. The selenium decreased SCC up to 8th week of lactation playing an important role on immune response of bovine mamary gland.
antioxidants; milk quality; prepartum; subclinical mastitis
