Vitamin a and vitamin d deficiency are common in cattle, but what about vitamin B and vitamin E? These vitamins are important for cows, but do not cross the placenta in sufficient quantities to make colostrum. For this reason, producers should focus on the vitamin status of their cows prior to calving, so that colostrum contains enough of each. Vitamin a and vitamin d are the most important vitamins for the growing calf, so producers should ensure that their cows are receiving adequate levels of these nutrients.
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Vitamin a deficiency
There are numerous signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency in cattle. Symptoms include abnormal behaviour, licking of surfaces, liver disorder, and headaches. The deficiency can be treated with vitamin A therapy and continuous dietary supplementation. Vitamin A was administered to cattle as an intramuscular injection at a dose of 200000 IU or 50000 IU once daily. Supplementation was also given to severely affected cows and calves. Antibacterial drugs were used to control secondary infections caused by E. coli.
Vitamin A is essential for the normal functioning of tissues in the respiratory, digestive, and urinary tracts. Without adequate levels, the cattle can develop pneumonia, diarrhea, and urinary tract stones. These symptoms may appear as the animal matures and feeds. In severe cases, the animals may even die. Vitamin A deficiency in cattle is not always fatal, but it can cause considerable damage to the animals.
Vitamin d deficiency
Many beef cattle do not get enough vitamin D during the late fall and winter months. The Vitamin D levels of feedlot cattle drop dramatically during the winter. Scientists at the USDA National Animal Disease Center studied the vitamin D levels of cattle on a typical feedlot ration, which provided an average of 800 to 1,200 international units of vitamin D per day. However, the study did not determine the link between low levels of vitamin D and disease risk in calves.
In addition to being essential for calcium and phosphate metabolism, vitamin D is also important for activating critical immune defenses in cattle. Insufficient vitamin D input can inhibit the function of these defenses, affecting the ability of the cattle to fight infections. Because the cattle will not display any signs of vitamin D deficiency, they are susceptible to infectious diseases and will not reach their maximum production levels. This is a serious problem.
Vitamin E deficiency
One of the most common symptoms of Vitamin E deficiency in cattle is a collapsed calf, which often occurs during or shortly after feeding. The animal usually dies within a minute of collapse. If the calf was healthy and living in lush pasture, then the diagnosis should be fairly easy. Post-mortem signs of Vitamin E deficiency include fibrosis. There are several ways to diagnose this condition.
In addition to the calving season, the timing of the calving season may play a role in vitamin E status in cattle. In winter months, heifers and cows are typically maintained on stored forages. In the late winter, cows are consuming forage and could benefit from vitamin E supplements. However, many commercial supplements may not provide sufficient amounts of vitamin E for pregnant cows. However, supplemental vitamin E can help reduce calf mortality.
Vitamin B deficiency
A Vitamin B deficiency in cattle can cause the animals to suffer from nonspecific clinical symptoms such as poor growth, muscle wasting and rough coat. Animals with this deficiency may also experience decreased milk production. The treatment for this condition includes intramuscular injections of Duoject twice a day for three to five days. The treatment can also include moving young stock to a pasture where they have more access to fibre. Vitamin B deficiency in cattle is a highly variable condition year-to-year. Environmental conditions may favor the development of gut bacteria that break down thiamine.
It is important to determine the level of vitamin B12 in dairy calves during their first year of life. This is because the absorption rate of vitamin B12 in the mammary gland is closely related to the amount of the vitamin in the plasma. In addition, cows supplemented with Co glucoheptonate had higher vitamin B12 concentrations than cattle supplemented with Co alone. However, these results did not translate to improved health or milk production in dairy cows. Therefore, these high levels of vitamin B12 do not seem to be of major significance.
Carotene deficiency
Cows and calves born to cows with low carotene intakes show a number of abnormalities, including alterations to the testicles, poor growth, and decreased reproduction. However, there is no evidence that vitamin A is a limiting factor for bull reproduction. The nutritional value of carotene in cattle is derived from vitamin A and not from carotene. The deficiency of vitamin A in cattle is an emerging concern in modern agriculture.
Diets with high levels of nitrate and phosphorus may deplete vitamin A stores in cattle. Animals fed high-carotene rations benefit from vitamin A supplementation. Vitamin A supplementation is also beneficial for cattle fed on high-grazing pastures. Vitamin E can increase the utilization of carotene and reduce its oxidation. Moreover, diets containing phosphorus can deplete the liver’s stores of vitamin A, and supplemental vitamin A may be beneficial for cattle fed on higher-silage rations.
Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency
Despite the high amount of Vitamin A stored in cows, it is not always possible for them to survive the absence of this nutrient. The symptoms of vitamin A deficiency in cattle are varied, but can include night blindness, reduced feed intake, edema, diarrhea, weakened growth, and even abortions. In the absence of adequate vitamin A in the diet, cattle may also develop respiratory diseases and weak immune responses.
The normal serum vitamin A concentration for calves is twenty-five to thirty-five ug/dl, and a concentration below 20 ug/dl is considered hypovitaminosis A. However, the serum vitamin A concentrations of affected cattle were substantially below these levels. These cattle may eventually display papilledema, which may progress to optic nerve atrophy, which can result in permanent blindness in calves.
