Effects of Supplemental Vitamin A or ß-Carotene During the Dry Period and Early Lactation on Udder Health

¹ Departments of Veterinary Science and Dairy and Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802

Effects of vitamin A or ß-carotene supplementation during the dry period and early lactation on the frequency of new intramammary infection and clinical mastitis and on SCC and milk yield were examined. Eighty-two Holstein cows were randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) 50,000 IU/d of vitamin A per cow (approximately equivalent to 1978 NRC recommended daily intake for dairy cows); 2) 170,000 IU/d of vitamin A per cow; or 3) 50,000 IU/d of vitamin A plus 300 mg of ß-carotene per cow. Cows were supplemented during the 2 wk before drying off, throughout the dry period, and for the first 6 wk of lactation.

Concentrations of serum vitamin A did not differ among treatment groups but tended to decrease for all treatment groups from 14 d before drying off to calving. After calving, serum vitamin A tended to increase in all groups through wk 6 of lactation. Serum ß-carotene tended to be higher in ß-carotene-supplemented cows at dry-off, in the early dry period, and again during lactation. Serum ß-carotene decreased sharply in all groups during the prepartum period.

The frequency of clinical mastitis and of new intramammary infection during the dry period, near parturition, and for the first 6 wk of lactation did not differ among treatment groups. The percentage of quarters newly infected over the entire trial was 26.8 in the control, 25.0 in the high vitamin A, and 30.6 in the ß-carotene group. Pathogens isolated most frequently were coagulase-negative staphylococci, streptococci other than Streptococcus agalactiae, and coliforms. The average log₁₀ SCC over the fist 6 wk of lactation did not differ among treatment groups. Under conditions of this study, dietary supplementation with high concentrations of vitamin A or ß-carotene had no effect on udder health. Animals supplemented with 170,000 IU of vitamin A produced significantly more FCM than those receiving 50,000 IU of vitamin A.

Key Words: vitamin A • ßbeta;-carotene • mastitis • udder health

Submitted on October 18, 1990
Accepted on June 17, 1991

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Rezamand, T. A. Hoagland, K. M. Moyes, L. K. Silbart, and S. M. Andrew Energy Status, Lipid-Soluble Vitamins, and Acute Phase Proteins in Periparturient Holstein and Jersey Dairy Cows With or Without Subclinical Mastitis J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2007; 90(11): 5097 - 5107. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Puvogel, C. R. Baumrucker, H. Sauerwein, R. Ruhl, E. Ontsouka, H. M. Hammon, and J. W. Blum Effects of an Enhanced Vitamin A Intake During the Dry Period on Retinoids, Lactoferrin, IGF System, Mammary Gland Epithelial Cell Apoptosis, and Subsequent Lactation in Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2005; 88(5): 1785 - 1800. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Van Merris, E. Meyer, L. Duchateau, J. Blum, and C. Burvenich All-trans Retinoic Acid Is Increased in the Acute Phase-Related Hyporetinemia During Escherichia coli Mastitis J Dairy Sci, April 1, 2004; 87(4): 980 - 987. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]