The Effect of Prepartum Vitamin A Supplementation on the Health and Performance of the Young Calf

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Abstract
The effect of feeding 1 million I. U. of vitamin A daily in the form of dehydrated alfalfa leaf meal, the ester form of vitamin A and the alcohol form of vitamin A to 59 dairy cows for 30 days prepartum on the blood plasma levels of carotene and vitamin A, liveweight changes, feed consumption and incidence of scours of calves from birth to 28 days of age has been studied. The levels of plasma carotene were significantly higher for those calves from dams fed either the ester or alcohol form of vitamin A than those found for the calves from dams fed alfalfa meal. The levels of plasma vitamin A were also significantly higher for those calves from dams fed either vitamin A per se than those for the calves from dams fed either alfalfa leaf meal or dams fed the basal ration alone. The gains in liveweight were greater for calves from dams fed vitamin A per se than calves from dams of the other 2 groupings. No statistically significant differences were found in feed consumed. Incidence of scours was significantly lower in those calves from dams fed vitamin A per se.