Antibiotics in Dairy Cattle Nutrition. I. The Effect of an Aureomycin Product (Aurofac) on the Growth and Well-Being of Young Dairy Calves

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Abstract
A study was conducted to determine the effects of an aureomycin product (Lederle''s Aurofac) on the growth, feed consumption, incidence of scouring, rumination and physical appearance of dairy calves raised in a barn that had proved unfavorable for successful calf raising. Data are presented also to show the effects of discontinuing aureomycin supplementation at an early age. Six calves were fed a normal diet supplemented with Aurofac for the first 7 wks. while 6 calves were supplemented for the duration of the expt. (12 wks.). Twelve control calves received only a normal diet. Aurofac contained 5 mg. of aureomycin per g. and was ingested once daily, by capsule, at the rate of 3 g. per 100 lb. body wt. At the end of the expt., the wt. of the calves receiving Aurofac for 12 wks. averaged 228% of birth wt., while the wt. of the controls averaged 190%. The difference was statistically significant. When Aurofac was taken out of the diet of the calves at the end of the 7th wk. there was a decrease in rate of gain. The administration of Aurofac resulted in a considerable reduction in the incidence of scours and colds and the calves were in better physical condition than the control calves. The calves receiving Aurofac consumed less hay, more grain and less T.D.N. and digestible protein per lb. of gain than did the control calves. These differences were not statistically significant. Aurofac supplementation did not affect rumination, rumen tone or rumen movements.