Have you heard from your veterinarian about Vitamin A deficiencies, or the likelihood of them this year? Vitamin A deficiency can present with many different clinical signs, but the most common signs are weak or stillborn calves.  In this article published by Dr. Gregg Hanzlicek of Kansas State University, he will discuss some possible reasons why this may occur in spring-calving beef herds.

Fresh, green forages contain very high levels of Vitamin A (as carotenes).  It is rare for Vitamin A deficiency to occur during a normal pasture season. We do occasionally observe deficiencies in the pasture season during drought conditions. As the grasses become dormant (have turned from green to brown color), the Vitamin A content will decrease and the pasture may not provide the appropriate amount of required dietary vitamin.

Vitamin A deficiency is primarily a winter issue.  Cows on green-grass pastures will store Vitamin A in their liver. During late fall and winter, when Vitamin A intake is not sufficient, they can use this storage supply to meet metabolic demands. Unfortunately, the storage supply only lasts between 2 and 4 months.

Harvested forages that are still green in color will also contain some Vitamin A, but at very low levels. This vitamin is the least stable of all vitamins and its stability is negatively affected by elevated temperatures, light, presence of oxygen, and humidity. Therefore, during the harvesting, curing, and storing process a large amount of Vitamin A is lost.

Most herds will supplement Vitamin A through a trace-mineral/vitamin pack supplement.  Unfortunately, we do commonly see Vitamin A deficiency in supplemented herds. What might explain this?

Some mineral packs do not contain the appropriate amount of Vitamin A. Normal free-choice mineral/vitamin supplement consumption is 2-4 ounces per head per day.  To meet the needs of a 1,400-cow consuming 2 ounces of mineral, 300,000 IU of Vitamin A per pound of supplement would be required. If consuming 3 ounces of mineral, this concentration would need be 200,000 IU/lb.  A large percentage of these supplements contain less than 150,000 IU/lb.

Another consideration is supplement intake amounts variation between cows.  Some research suggests up to 14% of cows do not consume any dry mineral supplement at all, and the variability between animals that do is very large. Lastly, it doesn’t matter what level of Vitamin A is contained in the supplement if it isn’t consistently available for consumption. Cows can’t eat what is not available!

As mentioned above, Vitamin A is very unstable and affected by many environmental factors. Mixing Vitamin A with trace minerals (particularly inorganic forms) increases the level of instability. When not mixed with a trace mineral, about 1% of the pure Vitamin A product potency is lost per month. After mixing, the losses can approach 9% per month. A trace mineral/ vitamin product purchased today may contain 50% less Vitamin A when fed six months later.

One common question about supplementation concerns administering an injectable Vitamin A product. In some cases, supplementing with this method does make sense. For example, a herd that is presently experiencing a deficiency can administer the injectable to those dams that have not calved which will have immediate effects.  Another example would be when a herd has not been adequately supplemented and has been fed harvested forages for an extended period. The negative aspect of injectable Vitamin A is the short period of effectiveness. Vitamin A tissue levels are increased for about 1-2 months after administration; therefore, administration timing is critical. To help unborn and neonatal calves, administering to cows as close to expected calving would be appropriate. Excessive Vitamin A can be toxic; therefore, using your veterinarian’s advice on product and dosage is very important.

Summary:

• Fresh, green forages contain large amounts of Vitamin A; therefore, supplementation levels during a normal pasture season are minimal.
• Once pastures have become dormant or when feeding harvested forages, Vitamin A supplementation levels need to be increased to the appropriate level.
• Considerations to normal supplement consumption amounts of most vitamin/trace mineral products, it is important that these products contain the appropriate level of Vitamin A.
• It is important that supplementation products be available to the cows at all times to optimize consumption levels.
• Minimize the storage of Vitamin A containing products to only a few months given the instability of this vitamin.
• Injectable Vitamin A can be beneficial in some cases, but appropriate dosage and timing is critical.

If you have any questions about Vitamin A and their clinical signs, or believe you have a Vitamin A issue, please contact your local veterinarian. Additionally, if you would like more information on this article, please contact Hunter Nickell at [email protected] or at any of the Southwind Extension District Offices.

By Clara Wicoff

Southwind Extension District

What do you most look forward to about the holidays? For many, including myself, the answer may be holiday foods. Many families have incredible traditions centered on traditional foods that they only get to enjoy a few times each year. These holiday celebrations and traditions are important and should be cherished. At the same time, you may be wondering how you can make your traditional holiday recipes healthier.

Many favorite holiday foods, like pumpkin pie or green bean casserole, actually start with a healthy first ingredient. By focusing on that vegetable or fruit, you can reduce the large amounts of fats and sugar usually found in our traditional holiday recipes. To do this, consider switching from a traditional green bean casserole to a green bean sauté, from traditional mashed potatoes to yogurt mashed potatoes, from a traditional pumpkin pie to a crustless pumpkin pie, or from a traditional apple pie to slow cooker baked apples. Some of these recipes still contain more calories than we should regularly consume, but they are more healthful alternatives as compared to the traditional recipes because they increase the nutritional value and fiber while decreasing the calories, added sugar, and sodium.

With all of this, it is essential to highlight the importance of adapting this based on what is important to your family traditions and culture. There may be some recipes which are important for your family to enjoy as is. If this is the case, consider if you can make just one swap to a healthier recipe for a different item.

To learn more, consider attending my “Healthy Cooking for the Holidays” program at the Erie Library on November 16^th at 10 AM. Attendees will dive deeper into this information and practice making one of the recipes. This program is free, but an RSVP is required by calling 620-365-2242.

For more information about healthy holiday cooking, please contact me at [email protected] or 620-365-2242.