The Nutrition of the Newborn Dairy Calf III. The Response to a Photolyzed Milk Diet

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Approx. 96% of the riboflavin in milk fed was destroyed by exposure to the radiations of a 400-W. mercury vapor lamp emitting light of wave lengths longer than 3,000 A. Appreciable quantities of vit. A and carotene also were destroyed. Four male Guernsey calves were fed this treated milk supplemented with adequate vit. A. One of these calves also received approx. 2.99 mg. of added ribo-flavin daily. Riboflavin deficiency symptoms consisted of erratic growth, intermittent diarrhea, a dry scaly dermatitis, alopecia, particularly about the head, periodic excessive salivation and lacrimation and in the acute stages, dysphagia and a peculiar collapse syndrome (one calf). Post-mortem examinations showed evidence of catarrhal enteritis, mild edema of the lungs, (the collapse victim), pebbled cornea (one calf), mild edema of the cerebrum (one calf) and abnormalities of the kidney in 3 cases. These calves were extremely unthrifty. The addition of 2 mg. of riboflavin daily to the diet of one of these calves resulted in a prompt cessation of diar rhea, resumption of growth and a marked improvement in general appearance, including the growth of new hair. No other lesions of the lips or mouth or abnormalities of the eyes were noted.