Dairy
Authors: Lucas A. Krueger (Iowa State University) , Donald C. Beitz (Iowa State University) , Ken Onda (Iowa State University) , Mohammed Osman (Iowa State University) , Mathew R. O'Neil (Iowa State University) , Samantha Lei (Iowa State University) , Robert Stuart (Stuart Products, Inc.) , Howard D. Tyler (Iowa State University) , Brian J. Nonnecke (United States Department of Agriculture)
Newborn Holstein bull calves were fed milk to support low or moderate growth and were supplemented with a complement of vitamins A, D, and E. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of dietary energy and vitamin supplementation on inflammation at the whole-body level. Calves were assigned randomly to one of four treatment groups (low growth, not vitamin supplemented; low growth, vitamin supplemented; moderate growth, not vitamin supplemented; moderate growth, vitamin supplemented) for five weeks. Vitamin supplementation tended to improve average daily gain in moderate-growth calves and significantly increased concentrations of retinol, 25-(OH)-vitamin D, and α-tocopherol in plasma in supplemented groups. Moderate growth calves exhibited lower concentrations of α-tocopherol in plasma and higher concentrations of serum haptoglobin, which is a protein associated with chronic inflammation. All calves exhibited elevated concentrations of the more acute indicator of inflammation, serum amyloid A, during weeks 1-3. These results indicate potential roles for vitamins A, D, and E in moderation of pro-inflammatory responses early in life.
Keywords: Animal Science
How to Cite: Krueger, L. A. , Beitz, D. C. , Onda, K. , Osman, M. , O'Neil, M. R. , Lei, S. , Stuart, R. , Tyler, H. D. & Nonnecke, B. J. (2014) “Effects of d-α-Tocopherol and Dietary Energy on Growth and Health of Pre-Ruminant Dairy Calves”, Iowa State University Animal Industry Report. 11(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/ans_air-180814-1382