Antibiotics in Dairy Cattle Nutrition. V. Comparative Effects of Streptomycin and Aureomycin on the Growth and Well-Being of Young Dairy Calves

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Abstract
Four groups with 9 calves each were used. Two groups of calves received either 30 or 90 mg streptomycin, and a 4th received no antibiotic. All calves were started on the experiments at birth and continued until 16 weeks of age. Both levels of streptomycin appeared to produce a slight growth stimulation, especially during the first few weeks of life, but this stimulation was not statistically significant nor so great as the stimulation obtained with Aureomycin. Calves receiving Aureomycin grew at a significantly faster rate than control calves. Both streptomycin and Aureomycin appeared to reduce the incidence of calf infection; however, Aureomycin appeared to be slightly the more effective of the 2. Also, both streptomycin and Aureomycin-fed calves required less TDN and digestible protein per pound of gain than the controls. The Aureomycin-fed calves made more efficient gains than those fed streptomycin. In general, there was no difference between the 2 levels of streptomycin in regard to rate of weight gain, incidence of disease, or feed efficiency.