RESUMO
The paper presents a study on the effect of a treatment of steers with a single oral dose of soybean oil deodorizer distillate (SODD) on the α- and γ-tocopherol blood plasma concentrations. SODD containing 1.95% of α-tocopherol and 8.45% of γ-tocopherol in doses of 0.75, 1.50 or 2.25g/kg live weight was used on nine 2-year-old Nelore (Bos indicus) steers to promote increases in the plasma concentration of vitamin E. Tocopherol analyses were performed by HPLC on a C18 column, using a UV detector. The results showed that a single oral treatment of steers with SODD produces significant increases in plasma α- and γ-tocopherol levels. The vitamin E content was increased up to four times the initial content, showing the high capacity of SODD as a source of vitamin E for bovines in a single oral dose with the objective of increasing vitamin E blood plasma concentrations and, consequently, the levels in the tissues, as well.
