Studies of the Growth and Blood Composition of Dairy Calves Fed Remade Skim Milk after Three Days of Age

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Abstract
Calves were removed from their dams on the 3d day after birth and placed on a ration of remade skim milk supplemented with vitamins A and D in the form of carotene and viosterol or cod liver oil. Grain and hay were fed as soon as the calves would eat it. The calves made no gains in body wt. during the first 2 weeks. Six of the 7 Hoistein calves survived and began increasing in body wt. during the 3d week. They were consuming grain and hay at this time. Four of the 6 Jersey calves died by the end of the 4th week. They evidently did not have the reserve to carry them over until they consumed feed other than milk. With the normal intake of grain and hay at about 6 weeks of age, increases in body wt. were almost normal, and at 16 weeks of age the calves were practically normal in size. There was no apparent difference in growth between the group fed carotene and the group fed cod liver oil. Blood fat of the exptl. calves was lower than that of the control calf fed whole milk. There was no significant difference between the 2 exptl. groups. With the increase in intake of grain and hay, blood fat increased. Blood carotene levels in those calves fed the carotene supplement were well above those reported as minimum requirements. The amt. of blood carotene was considerably higher in this group than in the group fed cod liver oil. Blood vitamin A concs. of those calves fed cod liver oil as a supplement were higher than in the case of either the carotene group or the control calf. P. .M. Reaves.