Alopecia in calves associated with milk substitute feeding
Pritchard, G.C.; Hill, M.R.; Slater, A.J.
Veterinary Record 112(18): 435-436
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 6868307 Document Number: 213632
Outbreaks of alopecia with unusually high morbidity occurred among calves reared on proprietary milk substitutes on two unrelated farms in Suffolk. On one farm alopecia occurred for three consecutive years; during the winter of 1981-82 there were also clinical signs of muscular dystrophy among the same calves. On the second farm calves with alopecia also showed signs of muscular dystrophy. The apparent relationship between alopecia and milk substitute feeding is discussed together with the possible involvement of vitamin E. There was some evidence that calves on the farms responded well to a change from low fat (10%) to igh fat (15-20%) milk substitutes, but, in a small field trial, neither alopecia nor muscular dystrophy developed in calves given the low or high fat milk substitutes.