FA38 - Congenital Hypovitaminosis A in a Dairy Herd, Part I

Ruminants must meet their essential nutrient requirements for production. One such nutrient is Vitamin A. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient involved in numerous physiologic processes, including vision, cell differentiation, and bone remodeling. This presentation covers an outbreak of congenital hypovitaminosis A in a dairy herd. We will cover essential nutrients in cattle rations and clinical signs associated with certain nutrients of concern. We will discuss the important role of veterinarians in identifying and alerting producers to conditions that may be associated with herd-level diseases of nutrient imbalance. We discuss diagnostics involved in identification of nutrient deficiencies in herd-level outbreaks. Part 1 of 2.