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The effect of oral vitamin E supplementation during the dry period on serum biomarkers of oxidative status was evaluated in an observational field study. Ninety-eight cows were selected from 26 herds in the Netherlands. On 15 farms dry cows were supplemented with a dry-cow mineral mix containing 1000 IU vitamin E (vitamin E+ group, n = 52), and on 11 other farms dry cows did not receive the supplement (control group, n = 48). A blood sample was taken from all cows between 0 and 28 days before calving. Serum levels of alpha-tocopherol, cholesterol, triacylglycerol, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSHpx), uric acid, albumin, protein sulphydryl oxidation level, reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM), iron, the ferric reducing ability (FRAP), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. Alpha-tocopherol levels were significantly higher in the vitamin E+ group, as was the alpha-tocopherol:cholesterol ratio. MDA levels were significantly lower in the vitamin E+ group, suggesting that levels of lipid peroxidation were lower with vitamin E supplementation. In conclusion, vitamin E supplementation increases alpha-tocopherol and lowers MDA serum levels.

Within a week of being turned out to pasture, 3 of 30 heifers displayed a symptom described in the literature as "Flying Scapulas". The cause of this symptom is severe muscular dystrophy, with subsequent rupture of the ventral serrate muscles. Blood analysis revealed a deficiency of both vitamin E and selenium in all three heifers. No new clinical cases of muscular dystrophy were observed after the animals were housed and given vitamin E and selenium supplements. As far as is known, this is the first report in which a deficiency of both vitamin E and selenium was found in animals with the clinical symptoms of Flying Scapulas. This is the first description of Flying Scapulas in cattle in The Netherlands.