How much Vitamin A do cows need when pregnant, lactating, or growing?

Question

Are there any changes in vitamin a % if a cow is pregnant, lactating, working, or growing? If so what are the changes.

Jessica Desrosiers · Accepted Answer

Vitamin A is vital to a cow's health at all life stages. A cow that doesn't have enough may not be able to get pregnant, or may have slowed or no growth. In most cases, pasture-fed cattle should get enough Vitamin A from grazing, however it may need to be supplemented during the winter with a vitamin/mineral feed block in addition to grain/silage feeding. Dairy cows or cows that aren't pastured should also have it supplemented to prevent deficiency. For supplementing, the current NRC (2001) requirement for supplemental vitamin A is 50 IU/lb of body weight (BW) or about 70,000 to 77,000 IU/day for an adult cow, however if you have good pasture or are using a vitamin block you shouldn't need to measure out the exact amount unless you are sure your cow is clinically deficiency (which should be confirmed by a vet.)

How much Vitamin A do cows need when pregnant, lactating, or growing?

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