Oral nutrient supplementation of neonatal calves to mitigate vitamin and mineral deficiencies

Nutritional supplementation of cows is a common management strategy that assumes calves receive adequate quantities of nutrients from dams in utero, and through consumption of colostrum and milk. This study evaluated an easy to administer, efficacious and economical oral nutritional supplement for neonatal calves as an additional approach. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of oral nutrient supplementation in neonatal beef and dairy calves by examining plasma vitamin and serum mineral concentrations. Other objectives were: 1) to assess prevalence and severity of nutrient deficiencies in newborn calves, along with intra- and inter-herd variability; 2) determine the relationship between dam and calf blood nutrient concentrations; and 3) investigate the relationship between neonatal vitamin-mineral concentrations and morbidity and mortality occurrence. Baseline blood plasma and serum concentrations of vitamin A, vitamin E, iron, and selenium were determined in newborn calves and their dams. Calves were randomly assigned to either treatment or control groups which received 10 mL of VitaFerst-Care or saline solution, respectively. Following neonatal supplementation, calf blood nutrient profiles were assessed at day 14 (year 1), and day 3 (year 2) for control and treatment groups. Four hundred and sixty-five beef and dairy animals (277 calves and 188 cows) were enrolled in this two-year study at Lakeland College. Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture for calves and coccygeal venipuncture for cows. Blood serum/plasma concentrations of vitamin A, E, selenium, and iron were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Statistical analysis was performed using a two-way ANOVA. There was no significant increase in vitamin A and selenium concentrations in response to oral nutrient supplementation. There was a statistically significant effect of supplementation on vitamin E and iron concentrations in beef calves at day 3. Pre-ruminant calves were observed to have marginal to low vitamin A and iron concentrations, low to deficient selenium concentrations, yet adequate to high vitamin E concentrations under the variable management systems deployed. Intra- and inter- herd variability was limited with respect to all nutrients except for iron. Ultimately, this study emphasizes the need for implementing a vitamin and mineral supplementation protocol to address deficiencies in pre-ruminant calves in Alberta.