Effect of Twinning and Supplemental Iron-saturated Lactoferrin on Iron Status of Newborn Calves

¹ Department of Animal Nutrition, National Institute of Animal industry, Tsukuba 305, Japan

Data from 53 calves by embryo transfer were collected to determine the effect of twinning and supplemental Fesaturated lactoferrin or FeSO₄ for 5 d after parturition on iron status of calves. Blood hematocrit and hemoglobin of multiple calves born from multiparous cows at d 1 postpartum were lower than those of single calves born from multiparous cows, although those of their dams were not different. Plasma Ca, inorganic P, Mg, Zn, and Cu were similar for single and multiple calves or for calves born from primiparous and multiparous cows. Blood hematocrit and hemoglobin of untreated calves decreased from 1 to 6 d postpartum. Blood hematocrit of calves treated with 40 mg of Fe/d as FeSO₄ increased from 1 to 10 d postpartum, and blood hemoglobin of calves treated with 20 or 40 mg of Fe/d as ferrous Fe increased from 1 to 10 d postpartum. Blood hematocrit and hemoglobin of calves treated with 20 mg of Fe/d as Fe-saturated lactoferrin remained nearly constant for 10 d postpartum. Serum Fe of calves increased immediately after the treatment with 20 or 40 mg of Fe as FeSO₄, but serum Fe of calves treated with lactoferrin was not affected. Thus, ferrous Fe may be more effective than Fe-saturated lactoferrin in elevating blood hematocrit and hemoglobin in newborn calves.

Key Words: twinning • lactoferrin • iron • calves

Submitted on December 6, 1993
Accepted on April 29, 1994