Effect of maternal biotin, folic acid, and vitamin B12 supplementation before parturition on colostral and Holstein calf plasma concentrations in those vitamins

Abstract

The newborn calf relies on placental and colostral transfers of B vitamins to cover its requirements. This study was conducted to evaluate biotin, folate and vitamin B12 concentrations in colostrum of cows receiving those vitamin supplements and in plasma of their calves fed with their colostrum. According to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, non-lactating pregnant cows (n = 34) were assigned to 2 levels of biotin supplement (0 or 20 mg/day of dietary biotin) and 2 levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 supplements (0 or 2.6 g/day of dietary folic acid and 10 mg of intramuscular injections of vitamin B12). Treatments were initiated 26 (SD: 8) days before calving until the parturition. Colostrum sample from the first milking was harvested. Offspring (n = 23) were fed 2.4 (SE: 0.3) kg of their dam colostrum within 3 (SD: 2) h of life (P > 0.24); calves born as twin, stillborn or not receiving their dam colostrum were removed. Calves were blood sampled and weighed 25 (SD: 4) h after birth. Supplementary biotin, folic acid, and vitamin B12 successfully increased their respective prepartum dam plasma and colostrum vitamin concentrations (P < 0.001). Colostral biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 concentrations were respectively increased from 26.8 (95% confidence interval (CI): 20.4–35.1) to 253.7 (95% CI: 193.8–332.3), 673 to 1094 (SE: 52), and 28.6 to 57.9 (SE: 3.3) ng/mL by their respective vitamin supplementation. Colostral IgG concentration did not differ among treatments (P > 0.14) and averaged 49.8 (SD: 23.5) g/L. Calves born to dams receiving folic acid and vitamin B12 supplements were heavier (50 vs. 44, SE: 1 kg; P = 0.003); biotin supplement did not affect calf weight (P = 0.66). Plasma biotin concentrations of calves were increased from 1.1 (95% CI: 0.9–1.4) to 7.5 (95% CI: 6.1–9.2) ng/mL by the maternal biotin supplementation (P < 0.001). Maternal folate and vitamin B12 supplementation during the prepartum period increased calf plasma concentration of folates from 15.9 (SE: 1.9) to 30.8 (SE: 1.8) ng/mL and tended to augment plasma vitamin B12 concentration of offspring, from 0.76 (95% CI: 0.51–1.12) to 1.25 (95% CI: 0.87–1.80) ng/mL (P < 0.07). No treatment effect was noted on calf plasma concentration of IgG (P > 0.54). Results suggest that biotin, folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation given to the dam before calving increased supply of those vitamins for newborn calves who rely on external supply of the B vitamins to fulfill their requirements before the development of their functional rumen.