Incidence of hypovitaminosis E in calves and therapeutic remedy by selenium-vitamin supplementation

Abstract

The objective of the research project was to assess incidence of hypovitaminosis E in calves of dairy cows during milk nutrition from different farms in the Czech Republic and to verify the effect of hypovitaminosis E therapy consisting in oral and parenteral administration of a selenium-vitamin supplement. Vitamin E concentration in blood serum of 350 calves from 39 different dairy farms was determined. The average vitamin E concentration being 3.55 ± 2.24 μmol·l-1, hypovitaminosis (defined as vitamin E concentration below 4.64 μmol·l-1) was identified in 77.7% of the calves included in the study. There were only 9 farms where the average concentration of vitamin E in blood of calves was sufficient. The effect of hypovitaminosis E therapy based on selenium-vitamin supplement administration was assessed in a group of 10 calves divided into 2 groups (PO and SC) of five. The calves included in the PO group were administered recommended doses of the selenium-vitamin supplement (420 mg Tocopheroli alpha acetas) in two oral doses (Day 0 and Day 7) while the calves from the SC group were giwen the same supplement using the same administration pattern but subcutaneously (350 mg Tocopheroli alpha acetas). Concentration of vitamin E in blood serum of the calves was determined on Days 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, and 12 of the trial. It was found in both groups that supplements given to calves with hypovitaminosis E (PO - 1.65 ± 0.50 μmol·l-1; SC - 1.38 ± 0.38 μmol·l-1) led to a significant increase in serum concentration of vitamin E (PO - 3.41 ± 1.58 μmol·l-1, p < 0.05; SC - 5.63 ± 0.82 μmol·l-1, p < 0.01) as soon as on Day 1. The concentration of vitamin E, however, decreased again from post-administration Day 2 or Day 3 on (Day 6: PO - 1.50 ± 0.42 μmol·l-1; SC - 3.05 ± 0.88 μmol·l-1). Repeated supplementation led to a significant increase in concentration of vitamin E in both groups again, which was substantially higher in the SC group (8.8 ± 1.55 μmol·l-1) compared to PO group (2.93 ± 1.29 μmol·l-1). After the second application, too, the concentration of vitamin E dropped fast in both groups (Day 12: PO - 2.05 ± 0.90 μmol·l-1; SC - 3.53 ± 0.90 μmol·l-1). It may be concluded that the incidence of hypovitaminosis E among calves of dairy cows is very high and the effect of selenium-vitamin supplements to calves with this diagnose is insufficient as far as long-term achievement of the concentrations of vitamin E is concerned.