HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hibbs, J. W. Articles by Gale, C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hibbs, J. W. Articles by Gale, C.

Occurrence of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Dairy Calves at Birth and Its Alleviation by Iron Dextran Injection¹

Departments of Dairy Science and Veterinary Science, Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Wooster

ABSTRACT

Oxyhemoglobin determinations made over the past 12 yr showed that nearly 30% of the observed male and female calves born in the herds of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station were low in oxyhemoglobin, less than 9 g/100 ml, at birth. In a series of experiments, conducted during 1959–61, involving over 170 calves, the problem of neonatal anemia was studied. It was found that when the calves were divided into three groups based on their initial oxyhemoglobin values, (low—less than 9 g/100 ml, medium—9–10.5 g/100 ml, and high—over 10.5 g/100 ml), no relation existed between the average oxyhemoglobin level of the calves at birth and their dams post-partum. The average oxyhemoglobin of the dams of calves in the three groups was all in the high range. In addition to the oxyhemoglobin values, packed cell volume, erythrocyte counts, serum iron content, and liver iron content all indicated that the calves born anemic were deficient in iron at birth. Further indication of iron deficiency in the calves born anemic was found in the post-natal increase in oxyhemoglobin, packed cell volume, erythrocyte count, and serum iron content after dry feed consumption began at 2–3 wk of age, compared with those in the medium and high groups.

During the first 8 wk after birth the oxyhemoglobin of the calves in the high group declined steadily, the medium group remained about constant, and the calves in the low group increased, following consumption of dry feed. After about 8 wk all groups remained in the normal blood picture range. The calves given a single injection of 500 mg of iron (10 ml of Armidexan—50 mg Fe/ml) during the first three days maintained a high level of serum iron and did not decline in oxyhemoglobin during the first 8 wk, as did the controls in the high group. The response in increased oxyhemoglobin and packed cell volume by the iron-injected calves anemic at birth indicated that their erythrocyte-producing mechanism was functional and that only iron was needed to alleviate the anemia. From the evidence obtained it was concluded that the low oxyhemoglobin in the newborn calves was the result of iron deficiency of prenatal origin, the cause of which must await results of other experiments.

No evidence was obtained that the increased oxyhemoglobin and packed cell volume resulting from a single injection of 500 mg of iron enhanced growth.

¹ Approved for Publication as Journal Article No. 86-62 by the Associate Director of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station.

² Present address, Dairy Department, University of Maryland, College Park.

³ Present address, Veterinary Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly Co., Greenfield, Indiana.