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 Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Miller, R. W. Articles by Moore, L. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Miller, R. W. Articles by Moore, L. A.

Effect of Ethyl Alcohol on the Vitamin A Status of Holstein Heifers^1,2,

University of Maryland, College Park 20742

D. R. Waldo and L. A. Moore

Dairy Cattle Research Branch, Animal Husbandry Research Division USDA, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

ABSTRACT

Two trials were conducted to test the effect of ethanol on the vitamin A status of cattle. In the first trial, 12 Holstein heifers in a split-plot experimental design were fed ethanol at levels of 0, 1, or 3% of the daily ration (alfalfa hay and vitamin A-fortified grain) at one morning feeding. Blood samples were drawn at 0, 4, 12, and 24 hours post-feeding. Heifers, when fed 3% ethanol, had a 37% increase in plasma vitamin A concentrations between the zero- and four-hour sampling which persisted through the 12-hour sampling. The 1% level of ethanol did not increase plasma vitamin A concentrations.

In the second trial, initial liver biopsy and jugular-blood samples were taken from the same heifers. They were then randomly assigned to receive ethanol at zero, 1, or 3% of their ration (same as first trial) for a 21-day period. At the end of the period, blood and liver biopsy samples were again taken. Final liver vitamin A concentrations were higher (P < .01) than the initial ones at each level of ethanol fed; however, the increase in the heifers fed 3% ethanol was only 13%, as compared to 50% for heifers fed zero, and 37% for the heifers which received 1% alcohol.

¹ Scientific Article no. A1542. Contribution no. 4246 of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station. Data from a thesis presented by E. W. Miller in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Ph.D. degree, University of Maryland.

² The authors thank Dr. G. V. Richardson, Biometrical Services, ARS, for help with the statistical analyses of the experiment.

³ Address: Dairy Cattle Research Branch, Animal Husbandry Research Division, ARS, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland 20705.