The Nutrition of the Newborn Dairy Calf III. The Response to a Photolyzed Milk Diet

Abstract

Approximately 96 per cent of the riboflavin in milk fed was destroyed by exposure to the radiations of a 400 W. mercury vapor lamp emitting light of wave lengths longer than 3,000 A. Appreciable quantities of vitamin A and carotene also were destroyed. Four male Guernsey calves were fed this treated milk supplemented with adequate vitamin A. One of these calves also received approximately 2.99 mg. of added riboflavin daily. Biboflavin deficiency symptoms consisted of erratic growth, intermittent diarrhea, a dry scaly dermatitis, alopecia, particularly about the head, periodic excessive salivation and lacrimation and in the acute stages, dysphagia and a peculiar collapse syndrome (one calf). Post mortem examinations showed evidence of catarrhal enteritis, mild edema of the lungs, (the collapse victim), pebbled cornea (one calf), mild edema of the cerebrum (one calf) and abnormalities of the kidney in two cases. These calves were extremely unthrifty. The addition of 2 mg. of riboflavin daily to the diet of one of these calves resulted in a prompt cessation of diarrhea, resumption of growth and a marked improvement in general appearance, including the growth of new hair. No other lesions of the lips or mouth or abnormalities of the eyes were noted. The performance of the calf receiving 2.99 mg. of added riboflavin from the start was uneventful and approached the Eagsdale standard of growth. Blood vitamin A and ascorbic acid levels were normal in all four calves. The urinary excretion of riboflavin varied from 0.01 to 0.06 mg. per day for calves receiving the treated milk with no added riboflavin and 0.38 to 0.64 mg. per day for the calf which received added riboflavin throughout the experiment. The limited data of this experiment indicate that the minimum daily riboflavin requirement of the very young calf is somewhat less than 75 y per kg. of body weight. The possibility of riboflavin deficiency during the milk feeding period is remote. © 1948, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.