Vitamin status at risk

VITAMINS

Article written by Lucy Hepworth

Vitamin status at risk in calves without the green grass of the Blackmore Vale! As a result of investigating some calf health issues in the last month, we have been checking vitamin status and identified some vitamin A and E deficiencies.

Vitamins are plentiful in green grass, but in the brown fields over the summer, the grass plant produces far fewer vitamins. Cattle and sheep store excess vitamin A and E for approximately 3 months in their livers, but if they are getting less than required especially when calving/lambing the calf/lamb will be deficient as well, as calves/lambs receive majority of their requirements through colostrum.

Vitamin A and E deficiency may present in calves as:

• An increased stillbirth rate or weak slow calves
• Increased susceptibility to scours and pneumonia
• Born with cataracts or with vision problems including night blindness.
• Thickened rough skin

Vitamins will be added to dry cow rolls, dry cow mineral, ewe rolls, licks etc but intake levels will depend on rate of inclusion and feed rates. Vitamins degrade in forage over time. When checking the levels in calves and lambs, we check samples for colostrum intake first and then submit for vitamin levels.