Carotene and Vitamin A in the Nutrition of Growing Dairy Cattle

Jones, Eckles and Palmer (10) were among the first investigators to demonstrate the necessity of vitamin A for the proper nutrition of dairy calves. Bechdel, Eckles, and Palmer (1), and Converse and Meigs Guilbert and Hart (7) found that about twenty-nine micrograms of carotene as it exists in alfalfa hay per day per kilogram of body weight prevented or cured vitamin A deficiency in cattle. Guilbert, Miller, and Hughes (8) working with cattle, sheep, and swine confirmed the above findings and reported that 25 to 30 micrograms of carotene daily per kilogram body weight, or 6 to 8 micrograms daily of vitamin A was just sufficient to prevent night blindness. Kuhlman, Gallup, and Weaver (11) found a commercial preparation of carotene dissolved in cottonseed oil to be an effective source of vitamin A for calves. Soldatenkiv (15) stated that feeding carrots to calves apparently accelerated recovery from respiratory diseases and built up resistance to infection.