The Journal of veterinary medical scienceSep 24, 2025

How Heat and Cold Stress Affect Oxidative Balance Around Ovarian Follicles in Beef Cattle

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Apr 4, 2026

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species levels in oocytes were higher in winter and spring than in summer in beef cattle.

Oxidative stress in blood and follicular fluid (FF) is correlated in beef cattle.
Heat and cold stress potentially influence the balance between oxidants and antioxidants in oocytes and FF.
Diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) were consistently lower in FF compared to plasma across all seasonal groups.
Biological antioxidant potential (BAP) in FF was lower than in plasma during winter, spring, and summer.
Oxidative stress index (OSI) was lower in FF than in plasma during winter and spring.
A positive correlation exists between d-ROMs and BAP values in FF during winter and spring.

Simplified

This study hypothesized that heat and cold stress affect the balance between oxidants and antioxidants (oxidative stress) of oocytes and follicular fluid (FF) in beef cattle and the oxidative stress between blood and FF is correlated. Thirty-two Japanese Black cattle that were divided into four seasonal groups [fall, winter (WG), spring (SpG), and summer (SmG) group]. Plasma and FF were measured diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs), biological antioxidant potential (BAP), and oxidative stress index (OSI). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured in oocytes. Temperature-humidity index was lower in WG and higher in SmG than in the other three groups (P<0.05). d-ROMs value was lower in FF than in plasma in all groups, BAP value was lower in FF than in plasma in WG, SpG, and SmG, and OSI was lower in FF than in plasma in WG and SpG (P<0.05). In FF, d-ROMs and BAP values were positively correlated in WG, SpG, and heifer groups (HG, P<0.05). d-ROMs or OSI values between plasma and FF were positively correlated in all animals and cow group (CG), SpG, CG, and HG (P<0.05). ROS levels in oocytes were higher in WG and SpG than in SmG (P<0.05). In conclusion, oxidative stress in the blood and FF are linked, and oxidative stress of oocytes increases in winter and spring in beef cattle that are kept on pasture, except in winter.

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Funding

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

PubMed

How Heat and Cold Stress Affect Oxidative Balance Around Ovarian Follicles in Beef Cattle

Abstract

Full Text

Funding

Competing interests

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