Biochemical blood parameters in cattle exposed to radiation

Under contemporary conditions, the study of adaptive processes in living organisms remains highly relevant, particularly in relation to the biochemical blood parameters of cattle kept for extended periods in areas contaminated with radionuclides. This study aimed to determine blood biochemical parameters, analyse characteristic changes, assess their impact on animal health, and evaluate the degree of damage caused by radioactive iodine isotopes. The study examined biochemical parameters – including the activity of amylase, aspartate and alanine aminotransferases (AST and ALT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), the concentration of lipid hydroperoxides (LHP), the level of ceruloplasmin, and total plasma protein – using standard biochemical methods. The results revealed a wide range of parameter values; however, no significant differences were observed between the groups of cattle exposed to various doses of ionising radiation (1 Gy to the body, 2 Gy to the gastrointestinal tract, and up to 40 Gy to the thyroid gland) resulting from Chornobyl radioactive fallout, including radioactive iodine affecting the thyroid and those kept in relatively uncontaminated areas exposed to only minimal doses of radiation (within a few mGy). Characteristic changes in biochemical parameters and potential alterations in health status were analysed. It was established that under conditions of high-dose thyroid irradiation (40 Gy to the thyroid gland), powerful adaptive mechanisms are activated in the body. These mechanisms counteract the harmful effects of ionising radiation at the organismal level and help preserve important productive traits such as fertility and productivity. These findings may serve as a basis for developing a system of measures aimed at regulating the adaptive responses of organisms exposed to ecopathogenic factors