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The Effect of Prepartum Vitamin A Supplementation on the Health and Performance of the Young Calf

Department of Animal Husbandry, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

ABSTRACT

The effects of feeding 1 million I.U. of vitamin A, in the form of dehydrated alfalfa leaf meal, the ester form of vitamin A and the alcohol form of vitamin A, daily to cows 30 days prepartum on the blood plasma levels of carotene and vitamin A, liveweight changes, feed consumption and incidence of scours of calves from birth to 28 days of age have been studied.

Carotene levels in the blood plasma of calves from dams fed the alcohol form of vitamin A were significantly higher during the experimental period than calves from dams in the other dietary groupings. Also, calves from dams receiving the ester form of vitamin A were significantly higher in plasma carotene than calves from dams fed alfalfa leaf meal.

Plasma of calves from cows fed vitamin A as either ester or alcohol was significantly higher in vitamin A than that of calves from the basal dams or those fed alfalfa leaf meal.

Greater liveweight increases were observed in calves from dams fed either form of vitamin A than in calves from dams fed the basal ration alone or with alfalfa leaf meal. In addition, calves from dams fed alfalfa leaf meal made greater increases in liveweight during the entire experimental period than calves from basal dams.

There were no statistical differences found in feed consumption.

Incidence of scours was significantly lower in calves from dams fed either form of vitamin A than that observed in calves from control dams. Calves from dams fed alfalfa leaf meal had fewer cases of scours than calves from control dams.

¹ Now at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.