Effect of clenbuterol on the incidence of abomasal ulcers in veal calves

Department for Large Animal Medicine and Nutrition, Veterinary Faculty, State University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.

The effect of clenbuterol on the incidence of abomasal lesions in veal calves was studied in two fattening units. Some of the calves in each unit were treated with 1.6 micrograms clenbuterol/kg bodyweight/day from the seventh until the 23rd week of the fattening period. In one unit the calves were fed milk replacer only and 176 of the 236 calves were treated with clenbuterol. In the other unit the calves were fed roughage pellets in addition to milk replacer and 92 of the 194 calves were treated with clenbuterol. Only in the second unit did the calves treated with clenbuterol have significantly fewer abomasal lesions.