Vitamins for cattle

The body of cattle needs vitamins in the same way as the human. Novice pastoralists who do not have the proper experience often underestimate the threat of vitamin deficiency in cows and calves. In fact, the lack of vitamins and minerals often causes poor growth, disease and even the death of livestock. With signs of vitamin deficiency, you can not thoughtlessly feed the animal everything. Vitamins for calves and cows must be selected correctly, taking into account external factors and the state of health of each individual.

The value of fortification of cattle

Some farmers believe that free-range or concentrated feed cows do not need additional vitaminization. However, it is not. In winter, absolutely all cattle livestock lacks vitamins and microelements. The situation is especially aggravated closer to spring, when the body's own reserves are depleted.

It is impossible to neglect the artificial fortification of cattle, because this can entail serious consequences: from problems with the eyesight and coordination of the animal, to stopping the growth of calves, reducing the immunity of cows, and a tendency to viral and infectious diseases. Problems such as a decrease in milk yield and cattle weight are not discussed at all - a lack of vitamins has a bad effect on the performance of cows.

A common problem for cattle of various ages and breeds is a decrease in immunity, which entails more serious disturbances in the body of animals.

Vitaminization of calves

Usually young cattle are raised to replace old and sick individuals in the herd (that's why they call it "replacement livestock"). If a lack of vitamins is very dangerous for adult cows, then what can we say about calves. The body of young animals should not be deprived of the necessary microelements and other useful substances. Particular attention should be paid to calves during the winter, when animals switch to dry food.

The lack of nutrients in the blood of young cattle is dangerous with consequences, such as:

• slowdown in growth;
• deformation and bone disease;
• dystrophy;
• vision problems;
• decrease in the protective functions of the body;
• purulent processes on the mucous membranes;
• predisposition to bacterial and viral diseases.

Vitamins for cattle growth: where to get

For a growing calf, two vitamins are most important: A and D. Carotene (vitamin A) is necessary for normal blood formation and oxygen supply to organs. It is possible to compensate for the lack of vitamin A in cattle feeding by adding fresh orange vegetables to the diet of calves: fodder beets, carrots, rutabagas.

Vitamin D is responsible for the complete absorption of calcium by the young body. Its long-term deficiency ends in growth retardation, bone deformity or rickets in the calf. Young animals must be fed with silage, bean hay, and fish oil must be added to dry feed.

Vitamins for young cattle can be found not only in medicines.Calves need to be fed the right food to promote rapid growth and health. Clover and alfalfa hay will help fill in the lack of nutrients. These herbs are quite high in D3, which protects the calf from developing rickets.

Another option for natural vitaminization of calves is an infusion of spruce and pine cones. For its preparation, the cones are poured with boiling water and the product is insisted under the lid until it cools completely. Such a decoction should be added to the feed for young animals, it promotes the rapid growth of calves.

The farmer does not always have the opportunity and desire to feed young cattle with vegetables, prepare broths and tinctures for calves. In this case, complex drugs will help. Good vitamins for fast growth in calves are:

• "Catosal";
• "Aminotol";
• "Cyanofor";
• "Nucleopeptide";
• "Gamavit";
• "Roborante".

In the most advanced cases, it is recommended to use vitamins for young animals or fattening cattle in pricks (for example, Eleovit). These drugs work much faster.

Vitaminization of cows

Adult heifers and bulls need their own dose of nutrients. In the warm season, when there is enough grass and sunlight, you can not worry about the immunity of the herd. But in winter, almost every cow will need additional vitaminization.

The diet of an adult livestock largely depends on the purpose of specific individuals. So, pregnant and lactating females need some vitamins and minerals, dairy cows will need other components in their diet, and beef cattle needs a third "menu".

More details about vitamins for each type of cattle will be described below.

Norms of vitamins in the blood of cows and calves

Ideally, cows and calves should have their blood tested before medication is given. The analysis will show the content of certain vitamins and trace elements in the animal's blood. Already on the basis of the data obtained, the dosage of the drugs should be calculated.

Unfortunately, it is very expensive to test the blood of each cow from the herd; not every domestic farmer can afford such a luxury. In order not to harm livestock, you need to know the dosage of vitamins and minerals per head per day. The required data are presented in the table below.

Knowing the established norms, you can independently calculate the dosage of vitamins in injections for fattening cattle, dairy cows or calves. Those who do not know how to inject cows can purchase preparations in the form of drops or tablets - they are added to water or to feed mixtures.

Cattle beriberi symptoms

Lack of vitamins and minerals for cattle is very dangerous. Avitaminosis can lead to such consequences as:

1. Decreased productivity. At the same time, in dairy cows, milk yield drops sharply, and the quality of milk deteriorates noticeably. Cattle of beef breeds significantly lose weight, the nutritional value of meat decreases.
2. Disorders in the work of the reproductive organs. Lack of certain substances adversely affects the ability of bulls to conceive offspring, and heifers - to carry them.
3. A decrease in immunity leads to the manifestation of latent chronic diseases. Often against the background of this, cattle is additionally infected with viruses.
4. The slowdown in growth is especially noticeable in calves of the first year of life. Young cattle not only develop more slowly, the herd's protective function of the body decreases - the calves start to get sick.

What vitamins are best for cattle

It cannot be argued that all cows need the same vitamins, and in the same dosage. In veterinary medicine, it is recommended to choose vitamins for cattle, taking into account the purpose of an individual in a herd:

1. Dairy cows most often lack vitamin A. At the end of a long winter, fish oil should be added to the cattle ration, because dairy cows can lose teeth due to a lack of D3.
2. Meat cattle should be fed with vitamins only in extreme cases, when the quality of dry feed leaves much to be desired. Usually, beef cows do not suffer from vitamin deficiency, but it is better to monitor the condition of the herd in winter. You can add vitamins to the diet of beef cattle breeds for muscle growth, they will help increase the weight of cows.
3. Casual cows and bulls should eat well and receive all the trace minerals they need to be healthy. Lack of vitamins such as A and B12 for cattle of this group can result in ovarian dysfunction in heifers and a decrease in sperm activity in bulls. Cows, which are planned to happen in the spring, need to be given vitamin E in advance, because its lack causes involuntary abortions in cattle.
4. Pregnant cows are called pregnant cows. Livestock from this group need the highest quality and nutritious food. In order for the calves to be born healthy, and the cows themselves can produce offspring more than once, the body of pregnant individuals needs to be supported with vitamins. In winter, you can use feed vitamins for cattle containing A, D, B12 and E.

To understand this issue completely, you need to consider in more detail each group of cattle.

Vitamins for fattening cattle

A farmer raising cattle for meat is always faced with a choice: which drugs to use to increase the muscle mass of their cows. Several options are popular today, each of them is effective, but not all methods are safe.

Antibiotics, hormonal steroids and metabolic boosters (dietary supplements) are all undesirable methods of muscle building in cattle. Special complexes are an excellent alternative to these drugs. For fattening cattle, it is recommended to use the following vitamins:

• "Biovit-40", which is recommended for feeding young animals from one month to one year old and fattening cattle;
• "Nucleopeptide" well increases the weight of livestock, and also improves the condition of the coat (these vitamins are often given to show cows and bulls);
• "Eleovit" helps calves not only gain weight, the vitamin complex also strengthens the skeleton of cattle.

Vitamins for calves with bronchopneumonia

At the fattening stage, calves are often infected with bronchopneumonia. The disease is inflammation of the bronchi or lungs. One of the common causes of bronchopneumonia is the low immunity of cattle caused by vitamin deficiency.

Of course, it is better to prevent disease and to prevent nutritional deficiencies in the calf's body. If time is lost, and the animal has already become infected, you should proceed as follows:

1. The causative agent of bronchopneumonia is bacteria, so the disease will have to be treated with antibiotics.
2. To save the calf from an allergic reaction to the drug, drugs such as calcium gluconate and suprastin will help reduce vascular fragility.
3. To hatch young cattle, they additionally give glucose solutions and vitamin A.

Vitamins for pregnant cows

Like all pregnant cows, “in position” cows need a double dose of nutrients, trace elements and vitamins. Pregnant heifers need enhanced nutrition, and in winter, pregnant animals must be given vitamin complexes.

Lack of some vitamins is dangerous both for the cow itself and for the fetus. Causes and Effects:

1. Vitamin B12 is essential for a pregnant cow. Lack of this element leads to the birth of weak, sick or dead young. As a result of B12 deficiency, the walls of the cow's stomach poorly absorb nutrients and microelements necessary for the body: cattle lose weight, there is a lack of coordination, and iron deficiency in the blood.
2. Vitamin E in the blood of cattle is responsible for the proper functioning of the ovaries, the elasticity of the walls of the uterus, metabolic processes in the body of the fetus and mother. If a cow cannot conceive, it is likely that she is lacking in vitamin E. This element is important at every stage of pregnancy. Component E is added to the food of cows a month before mating and continues until the end of pregnancy.
3. Vitamin D is also vital for cattle "in position". D3 deficiency is the only cause of rickets in calves. In addition, this substance helps the body of cattle to absorb calcium, which means it affects the condition of the bones and teeth of a pregnant cow.
4. Vitamin A is more important for the calf at birth than for its mother. Young animals born in winter are injected intramuscularly in carotene in the first days of life. This helps to avoid serious calf health problems.

Vitamins for cows in winter

In winter, the body of cattle is most weakened, because the animals are indoors, in conditions of high humidity, low temperatures, cows do not see sunlight, do not eat fresh grass. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the cattle diet in winter.

The best feed option is properly prepared hay from various types of grass. If the quality of dry food is unsatisfactory, you can replace it with purchased balanced mixtures, add fresh vegetables, herbal infusions.

At the first signs of vitamin deficiency, it is urgent to introduce vitamins into the feed in the form of medications. Without conducting a detailed analysis of cattle blood, it is better to use complex products as food additives.

Recommendations for correct and balanced feeding

In winter, during pregnancy and lactation, during recovery from a serious illness, at the stage of growth of young animals, the animal's body needs not only vitamins, but also minerals. Cattle most often needs such components as:

1. Protein or protein. The substance is responsible for the multiplication of cells, the growth of muscle mass, the state of internal organs, and the circulatory system depend on the amount of protein in the blood of cattle. Protein is given to weak and sick cows, lactating and dairy cows, calves born in winter.
2. Due to copper deficiency, cattle loses appetite, the cow develops anemia and weakness. You can suspect a lack of metal in the blood by the falling out tufts of wool. Failure to make up for the lack of copper will reduce fertility and the dairy cow may lose milk entirely.
3. Iodine is responsible for the fat content of cow's milk. Yields may decrease or disappear altogether if the animal lacks this trace element. And pregnant cows also need iodine - its deficiency can cause the fetus to "dissolve" in early pregnancy.
4. A sufficient amount of manganese in the blood of cattle ensures the normal functioning of the reproductive system. If a micronutrient is lacking, a pregnant cow may have a miscarriage. Calves that gain fat too quickly, but do not gain in growth, also need manganese.
5. Salt in large quantities is death, but in small doses, a trace element is simply necessary for cattle.A balanced amount of salt in a cow's diet determines her appetite, milk taste, milk yield, reproductive health and the ability to bear strong offspring.

If the cattle feed is saturated with the necessary vitamins and minerals, the cows will well endure the coldest and longest winters.

Conclusion

Vitamins for calves and adults are an important part of the cattle diet. Additional support is needed for the body of animals in the winter, during the growth of young animals, fattening cows, pregnant and lactating females, gobies for mating.

A balanced diet and a well-formulated diet will protect cattle from fatigue and a decrease in immunity, which, in turn, will save from serious health problems and prevent the death of livestock.

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