Impact of Parenteral Maternal Supplementation with Trace Minerals and Vitamins on Neonatal Calf Antioxidant System and Growth in a Dairy Herd

Simple Summary Stress during the last third of gestation in dairy cows affects fetal development, which may result in reduction of birth weight and growth during the first month of life of the newborn calf. Mineral and vitamin supplementation can help to counteract the negative effects of stress and improve the development of the calf. This experiment aimed to assess the impact of injectable (subcutaneous) prepartum supplementation with copper, zinc, selenium, manganese, and vitamins A and E, on newborn calf growth and antioxidant capacity. Cows were assigned to one of two treatments groups: control (CG) or treatment (TG) and injected three times with saline solution or mineral and vitamins, respectively, before calving. Calves were monitored from birth to the ninth week. Feed intake, fecal score, body weight, average daily gain, body measurements, and parameters indicative of oxidative stress, were evaluated. Although calves in the TG ate more initially and had a lower fecal score than CG calves, there were no differences in body weight and no observed differences in their growth over the first two months. Parenteral supplementation of minerals and vitamins with antioxidant effects in prepartum dairy cows did not impact calf antioxidant system or growth in the first two months of life.Abstract Oxidative stress may affect new born calves due to high stress suffered around birth. We hypothesized that maternal supplementation with micronutrients and vitamins in late gestation enhance the neonatal calf's antioxidant system, decreasing the occurrence and duration of diarrhea, and improving growth from birth through weaning. To test this hypothesis, 80 multiparous cows were cluster-assigned to treatment groups. Treated group (TG) cows received mineral and vitamin supplementation while control group (CG) cows received saline solution. Feed intake and fecal score were measured daily until the ninth week. Weight and body measurements were registered weekly, and blood samples were collected from postpartum cows and calves after birth and at 7, 14, and 63 days of life. Although CG calves had greater fecal scores (p = 0.01), diarrhea characteristics did not differ. Calves in the TG showed greater starter intake (p = 0.04). Feed efficiency showed a trend with treatment-age interaction (p = 0.06). Calves in the CG had wider hips in the first week (p = 0.03), but not by the ninth week. Total antioxidant status, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and haptoglobin did not differ between treatment groups. Serum metabolites showed no differences. Supplementation did not impact calf antioxidant system or growth in the first two months.