[Oral and intramuscular ferridextran intervention in male rearing calves. 2. Morbidity rates and treatment frequency for pneumonia and/or diarrhea].

Cases of pneumonia and/or diarrhoea were compared in 3 groups of calves with a different iron supply in their 56-day stay in the weaning range of a rearing farm (A: without additional iron supply; B: 200 mg Fe/d between feeding times; C: 1.0 and 1.5 g Fe on the 3rd and 36th day in the weaning range). Anaemia frequency (hemoglobin content lower than 105 g/l) immediately after stabling the calves that had come from various farms was 57.4%. Iron application was carried without considering individual iron equipment. Ferridextrane intervention resulted in a drastic reduction of the crowding disease development. Oral iron supply had a more distinct effect than intramuscular supply and the effect was more evident in the duration of pneumonia than in that of diarrhoea.