{"id":25721,"date":"2026-10-22T10:31:07","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T08:31:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tecnozoo.it\/2026\/10\/22\/oxidative-stress-in-dairy-cows-causes-damage-and-advanced-nutritional-strategies\/"},"modified":"2026-10-28T09:03:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T08:03:24","slug":"oxidative-stress-in-dairy-cows-causes-damage-and-advanced-nutritional-strategies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tecnozoo.it\/en\/2026\/10\/22\/oxidative-stress-in-dairy-cows-causes-damage-and-advanced-nutritional-strategies\/","title":{"rendered":"Oxidative stress in dairy cows: causes, damage and advanced nutritional strategies"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The transition period<\/strong> \u2013 that is, the three weeks preceding and the three weeks following calving \u2013 represents the most delicate and crucial phase of the dairy cow\u2019s entire production cycle. Within this complex metabolic context, oxidative stress<\/strong> often acts as a silent trigger for a whole host of problems, including reduced milk yield and decreased fertility. <\/p>

Nowadays, modern cattle farms can no longer afford to underestimate this phenomenon.<\/p>

The targeted management of oxidative stress through the use of natural antioxidants and advanced phytochemicals<\/strong> helps to promote animal welfare and contributes to production efficiency and farm profitability.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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What is oxidative stress and why does it affect dairy cows during the transition period?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Oxidative stress occurs when there is a significant imbalance within the body between the production of free radicals and the ability of the endogenous and exogenous antioxidant defence systems to neutralise them.<\/p>

In dairy cows, this imbalance finds its ideal conditions during the transition period<\/strong>, and it is precisely at this stage that two critical events occur simultaneously:

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  1. The surge in energy and metabolic requirements<\/strong>: the onset of colostrum synthesis and lactation requires a massive expenditure of energy.<\/li>
  2. Feed intake depression<\/strong>: for physiological and management-related reasons, dairy cows drastically reduce their dry matter intake in the days immediately around calving.<\/li><\/ol>

    This energy imbalance forces the animal to draw heavily on its bodily reserves (particularly adipose tissue) and, by triggering this metabolic process, the cow exponentially increases the production of free radicals at a cellular level.<\/p>

    This excess of ROS selectively attacks cellular structures, triggering lipid peroxidation of cell membranes<\/strong>, impairing tissue function and setting off a dangerous systemic inflammatory cascade.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Critical developments during calving<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Analysis of oxidative stress trends in dairy cows shows that levels of peroxides and free radicals begin to rise in the immediate pre-partum period, before surging dramatically and reaching their peak around five days after calving<\/strong>. It is precisely during this time frame that the cow\u2019s body is most vulnerable to metabolic disorders, infections and irreversible declines in reproductive performance. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    The economic and health implications on the farm<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    A prolonged state of oxidative stress that is not properly managed has a significant impact on the farm\u2019s profit margins, affecting three main areas:<\/p>