This article presents the results of research on the influence of cadmium loading on the state level of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant links of the antioxidant defense system of the organisms of young cattle, such as the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione levels, selenium, vitamins A and E. It was found that feeding bull calves with cadmium chloride at doses of 0.03 and 0.05 mg/kg of body weight helped to reduce both the enzymatic and non-enzymatic link of antioxidant protection (superoxide dismutase 31%, catalase 13%, glutathione peroxidase 23%, reduced glutathione 10%, vitamin A 28%, vitamin E 31%, selenium 20%). Toxic effects of cadmium promotes change in steady-state concentrations of radical metabolites О2–,ОН˙, НО2˙, which, in turn, trigger the process of lipid peroxidation. The lowest level of indicators of antioxidant defense system in the blood of young cattle was registered on the sixteenth and twenty-fourth days of the experiment, which is associated with increased activation of lipid peroxidation and the disturbaance of the balance between the antioxidant system and lipid peroxidation intensity. The activity of the antioxidant defense system in the blood was different for calves fed with cadmium chloride at doses of 0.03 and 0.05 mg/kg of animal mass. The more cadmium chloride in the feed, the lower the activity of the antioxidant defense system of the calves’ organisms was registered. Thus cadmium chloride depresses the antioxidant defense system, which specifically involves lowering the activity of enzymatic links (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) and non-enzymatic links (reduced glutathione, selenium, vitamins A and E).