Vitamin A Supplementation
Apr 13, 2023
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble compound required by animals for normal growth and development. Green, growing plants provide carotenoids which many animals, including ruminants, can convert in their body to Vitamin A. Consequently, Vitamin A supplementation is critical for cattle that do not have access to growing forages because they are either fed in confinement or due to season of the year. Grazing cattle can store Vitamin A in the liver for times when carotene or vitamin A intake is inadequate to meet requirements.
Vitamin A deficiency symptoms can appear generalized and could be confused with other nutrition or health problems. For example, deficient animals will have poor appetites and grow slowly, have a loss of fertility, and appear unthrifty orunhealthy. Vitamin A is involved in three general functions in the body: vision, growth and maintenance of epithelial tissue, and bone development. The specific Vitamin A deficiency symptoms, therefore, are related to one of these generalized functions. For example, night blindness is the classic deficiency symptom. Failure of spermatogenesis in males, fetal resorption in females, and mastitis in lactating cows are all related to poor epithelial/skin growth and maintenance. Calves born weak and uncoordinated is a result of abnormal bone development during gestation.
Requirements:
Supplemental Feeds:
Article provided by Purina
Vitamin A deficiency symptoms can appear generalized and could be confused with other nutrition or health problems. For example, deficient animals will have poor appetites and grow slowly, have a loss of fertility, and appear unthrifty orunhealthy. Vitamin A is involved in three general functions in the body: vision, growth and maintenance of epithelial tissue, and bone development. The specific Vitamin A deficiency symptoms, therefore, are related to one of these generalized functions. For example, night blindness is the classic deficiency symptom. Failure of spermatogenesis in males, fetal resorption in females, and mastitis in lactating cows are all related to poor epithelial/skin growth and maintenance. Calves born weak and uncoordinated is a result of abnormal bone development during gestation.
Requirements:
| IU/lb feed | lbs/feed | IU/day | |
| Growing/finishing | 1000 | 20 | 20,000 |
| Dry cows & heifers | 1273 | 20 | 25,460 |
| Lactating cows | 1773 | 24 | 42,552 |
| Breeding bulls | 1773 | 26 | 46,098 |
Supplemental Feeds:
| Mineral | Intake/day | IU/day |
| 300,000 IU/lb | 4 oz | 75,000 |
| 150,000 IU/lb | 4 oz | 37,500 |
| 75,000 IU/lb | 4 oz | 18,750 |
| BP 10: 80,000 IU/lb | .5 lb | 40,000 |
| Corn BP 10: 40,000 IU/lb | .5 lb | 20,000 |
| RL tubs: 80,000 IU/lb | .75 lb | 60,000 |
| AR Block: 15,000 IU/lb | 1.5 lb | 22,500 |
| AR liquids: 7,500 IU/lb | 1.5 lb | 11,250 |
Article provided by Purina