With calving season on the horizon, it is time to start thinking about what you will need on hand for the upcoming season. Each operation has a unique subset of environmental factors, and as an answer to that, will have specific treatment and prevention plans in place for their herd. The use of vitamin injections in calves is one of those options that are unique to each operation. Vitamins are essential to calf survival and serve a variety of functions in the body. Common vitamins that can be supplemented to calves are vitamin E, A and D.
The most concerning vitamin when discussing calf health is vitamin A. In cattle, it plays a crucial role in reproduction, growth and bone development. Vitamin A deficiencies can lead to reduced appetite, poor breeding and late-term abortions. In a study in Kansas, producers’ number one cause of late-term abortions was linked to a vitamin A deficiency.
Vitamin E also plays a crucial role in calf health as an antioxidant and aids in the formation of structural components of membranes in the body. Vitamin E presence in forages is very similar to Vitamin A; once the forages are cut and dried, vitamin E will degrade in the forage.
Calves that are born to vitamin-deficient mothers are prone to muscle weakness and diarrhea, as vitamins play important roles in immune function and growth. Therefore, these calves may require some form of vitamin supplementation. The most common form of supplementation of vitamins to a newborn calf is through an injection. Many studies have looked at the effectiveness of using a vitamin A, E and D injection, as well as a selenium and vitamin E injection in newborn beef calves. Using vitamin injections at birth or near after can help provide the calves with the nutrients they need in those early weeks of life.
Another thing to consider are your winter mineral supplements. Many supplements that are used during the summer when cattle are grazing forage do not contain vitamins A, D and E because those vitamins are readily available in the forage. So look at your label, and if your supplement is not providing these vitamins to meet the needs of a pregnant/lactating cow, call your veterinarian or local extension educator to discuss supplementation options. As a rule of thumb, winter supplements should provide vitamin A (100,000 IU per pound), vitamin D (10,000 IU per pound) and vitamin E (100 IU per pound).
