Vitamin E in the Nutrition of Cattle. I. Effect of Feeding Vitamin E Poor Rations on Reproduction, Health, Milk Production, and Growth

Reproductive failures in cattle constitute a problem of great economic importance to cattle breeders. Ever since Evans and Bishop (7) established that rats require vitamin E for successful reproduction, the possible relationship of this factor to breeding troubles in cattle has been a subject of much interest to livestock breeders. No attempt will be made to present a comprehensive review of the extensive literature concerning vitamin E in its relation to reproduction in cattle. This recently has been done in an excellent review by Asdell (1). The information available, however, indicates that it has not been established that cattle and other ruminants need vitamin E for successful reproduction. It is significant that most of the studies reporting improvement in reproducing ability following vitamin E administration were conducted over relatively short periods with cattle on normal rations Frequently the treatments administered followed or occurred simultaneously with other forms of therapy. Cases where standard diets for cattle are deficient in vitamin E and would be improved by addition of this factor likewise must be viewed with some skepticism, for all feedstuffs in such rations have seen shown to be comparatively rich in this vitamin (5). This fact also reduces any possible therapeutic value of the much smaller doses provided in the wheat germ oil, whether it is injected or fed.