REVUE 08/09.book

The retention of foetal membranes (RFM) is supposed to be related to oxidative stress which can be evaluated through indirect and direct parameters, among others, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and lipid peroxidation intensity (LPI). Placental samples (maternal and foetal parts) were collected from Holstein-Friesian healthy cows immediately after caesarean section (n = 13, group A) at time or spontaneous delivery (n = 10, group C) and from RFM affected cows after caesarean section (n = 15, group B) or spontaneous delivery (n = 8, group D), and TAC and LPI were measured spectrophotometrically in corresponding supernatants obtained from placenta parts. The TAC values were lowered in the healthy cows (without RFM) surgically delivered (group A) compared to the group C (spontaneous delivery) (p < 0.05) while the LPI was similar whatever the mode of delivery. The TAC and LPI values were markedly increased in both maternal and foetal placenta of RFM affected cows (groups B and D) compared to the respective controls (groups A and C) (p < 0.05). The LPI was more intense in the foetal part than in the maternal placenta (p < 0.05) whatever the mode of delivery or the occurrence of RFM whereas the TAC was higher in the maternal part except in cases of spontaneous delivery with RFM (group D). The results confirm the occurrence of oxidative stress during RFM particularly in the foetal part but the relationship between oxidative/antioxidative processes in bovine placenta still needs clarification.