DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2019.v06i02.001

Pages: 55-58

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of subclinical mastitis, which has great importance in terms of economic losses in animal husbandry, on the glutathione, ceruloplasmin, and vitamin A, E, and C levels of the sheep during their first lactation phase. A total of 30 Akkaraman sheep were used as the live material of the study. 20 of these were animals diagnosed with subclinical mastitis with mastitis-indicator papers, CMT, and mastitis diagnosis by their milk; while 10 the sheep were reserved as the healthy control group. The metabolic levels of glutathione, ceruloplasmin, and vitamin A, E, and C levels were measured in blood plasma of the sheep, and were found to be 15.43±1.47 to 19.61±2.95 mg/dl, 16.54±0.14 to 17.13±0.11 mg/dl, 0.39±0.04 to 0.44±0.03 mg/lt, 254.3±11.8 to 290.1±14.3 µg/dl, and 5.91±0.17 to 6.75±0.15 µg/ml respectively. There were statistically significant reductions in plasma GSH (p≤0.05), vitamin A (p≤0.05), vitamin C (p≤0.05) and vitamin E (p≤0.01) levels in the sheep afflicted by subclinical mastitis compared to the control group. Their ceruloplasmin levels were also slightly decreased. These decreased levels indicate an increased oxidative stress, and as a result, supporting the weakened immune systems of the sheep with antioxidants, either through injection or as a feed additive during the pregnancy and lactation periods, may reduce oxidative stress and increase the resistance of the animals to mastitis infection.