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Hematological, Metabolic, and Endocrine Effects of Feeding Vitamin A and Lactoferrin in Neonatal Calves^*

¹ Division of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Institute of Animal Genetics, Nutrition and Housing, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, 3012-Berne, Switzerland
² Department of Physiology, Biochemistry and Biometrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium

Corresponding author: J. W. Blum; e-mail: juerg.blum{at}itz.unibe.ch.

There are reports of important interactions among vitamin A, lactoferrin (Lf), and components of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system. Newborn calves are deficient in vitamin A and have a low Lf status. Colostrum contains vitamin A, Lf, and members of the IGF system, including IGF binding proteins (IGFBP), and these compounds may exert mutual interactions in neonatal calves. Effects of feeding different amounts of vitamin A and Lf on hematological, metabolic, and endocrine traits during the first 5 d of life were studied in neonatal calves. Calves were fed a milk-based formula without (F) or with added vitamin A [F_A; 351, 402, 490, and 490 µmol/kg dry matter (DM) on d 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively], Lf (F_L; 3850, 1990, 660, and 660 mg/kg DM on d 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively), or vitamin A + Lf (F_AL) and colostrum (C). Blood samples were taken preprandially on d 1 to 5 and postprandially on d 1, 2, and 4 for the study of hematological, metabolic, and endocrine traits. As intestinal absorption of Lf in formula-fed calves was obviously lower than in colostrum-fed calves, Lf supplementation did not influence the metabolic and endocrine status. Plasma vitamin A concentrations increased from d 1 to 5 in F_A, F_AL, and C, but remained low in F and F_L. Addition of vitamin A to F affected concentrations of vitamin A from d 2 to 5; hemoglobin and triglycerides on d 3; and tended to influence IGFBP-3 levels on d 5. On d 1, preprandial insulin concentrations in F and F_L were higher than those in F_A and F_AL and growth hormone concentrations on d 3 in F_A were higher than in F_AL. In C, plasma Lf concentrations increased on d 1 and then decreased until d 5, whereas plasma urea and IGF-I concentrations remained stable. Compared with F-fed calves, C-fed calves had higher plasma concentrations of Lf from d 1 to 4, higher concentrations of vitamin A on d 5, higher concentrations of total protein from d 2 to 5, higher concentrations of triglycerides on d 3 and 4, and higher concentrations of IGF-I on d 4 and 5, but lower urea concentrations on d 4 and 5 and lower basal growth hormone concentrations than in F, F_L, and F_A. In conclusion, metabolite and hormone concentrations were influenced by differences in feeding. Addition of vitamin A influenced concentrations of vitamin A, hemoglobin, and triglycerides and tended to affect IGFBP-3 levels. Lactoferrin and vitamin A did not interact with respect to the IGF-I and IGFBP-3 status.

Key Words: vitamin A • lactoferrin • metabolism • neonatal calf

Abbreviation key: C = colostrum, F = formula, F_A = formula + vitamin A, F_L = formula + lactoferrin, F_AL = formula + vitamin A + lactoferrin, GH = growth hormone, IGFBP = insulin-like growth factor binding protein, IgG = immunoglobulin G, Lf = lactoferrin, T₃ = 3,5,3'-triidothyronine

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