Investigation of the Influence of Vitaton (preparation with beta-carotene biomass) on Clinical State, Metabolism, and Resistance of Cows and Newborn Calves

National Agrarian University
Kiev, Ukraine
1. Feeding of the cows with the feeds supplemented with Vitaton by 5.0 g per head daily during the last 30 days of the dry period increases the triglycerides content by 25% and the cholesterol content by 22% in the blood plasma, the T- and B-lymphocytes ratio by 2.9% and decreases the Ò-0 lymphocytes quantity in blood by 5.7%.

2. It was determined, that feeding of the dry and lactating cows with Vitaton as the part of their ration, promoted the reduction of the service period by 43 days as an average and decreased the postnatal disease rate by 8%.

3. Feeding of the calves with the beta-carotene supplemented colostrum during the first three days after the birth increased the content of triglycerides in their blood plasma by 36% at stable parameters of the carbohydrate-protein metabolism. In the newborn calves fed with the colostrum from the cows being fed with Vitaton, the activity of gamma-glutamiltranspeptidase of the blood plasma increased twofold.

4. The calves taken away from the cows fed with Vitaton during the dry period and the first month of the lactation, had indigestion in a lighter form and recovered in the majority of cases. The calves fed with Vitaton with the colostrum after the birth, or those that did not get Vitaton at all, suffered from a heavier form of the indigestion, which in 16.7-18.2% of all cases led to the death.

5. Feeding of the calves with Vitaton together with the milk during the first 25-30 days after the birth increased the content of cholesterol in their blood plasma twofold, and promoted the earlier presence of the carotenoids in their blood compared to the calves fed with beta-carotene in Vitaton’s composition by the way of the mother organism, or those that did not get this supplement at all.

6. It was determined, that feeding of the lactating cows with Vitaton in the dose of 5.0 g per head daily during 30 days of the lactation increases vitamin A content in the butter fourfold with the twofold decrease in the total carotenoids content.