Minerals Flashcards
Anion Definition
An atom or group of atoms carrying a negative charge
Cation Definition
an Atom or group of atoms carrying a positive charge
Goiter definition
a condition caused by an enlarged thyroid. often linked with iodine content
Goitrogens definition
foods, which suppresses thyroid function
H.y.P.P Definition
Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis a genetic condition that can be found in horses and humans where there is too much potassium in the blood (can be fatal)
Milk fever Definition
a condition that a dairy cattle may experience shortly after they begin lactating especially if they have insufficient calcium in their diets
Osteopenia definition
A disease potentially caused or escalated by low levels of calcium, phosphorus & vit. D in the diet. Low bone mineral density is the outcome.
Osteoporosis definition
a disease revealed by very low bone mineral density (2.5 times lower than normal) caused by an imbalance between bone formation and bone re-absorption.
Parakeratosis Definition
the imperfect formation of horn cells in the epidermis
Rickets definition
a disease affecting bone growth and mineralization in young animals that may be caused by the lack of either calcium, phosphorous, or vitamin D, or incorrect ration of two minerals
ruminants definition
any hoofed animal that digests its food in two steps. Example: cattle, goats, sheep, llama, giraffes, bison, buffalo, deer, wildbeast… etc.
spectrophotometry Definition
method of measuring individual minerals by looking at how they affect the spectrum of light
Tetany definition
condition of mineral imbalance in the body that results in severe muscle spams. (Death is possible outcome)
Categories of minerals
Macro and trace
Macro minerals
minerals required at high levels
trace minerals
minerals required in smaller amounts (Equally important)
minerals in macro minerals catergory
calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, potassium
How to learn mineral content in feed
burn feed at 600 degrees C (Ash test)
What is calcium needed for in diet?
Growth (bone and teeth), milk production, eggshell production, muscle contraction
How is calcium absorbed in the diet?
Vitamin D is needed for calcium to be absorbed
What do young animals with low calcium get?
rickets
what does rickets in young animals cause?
bow leggedness
what conditions do calcium deficiency cause?
Osteopenia, osteomalacia and osteoporosis
What happens when older animals do not have enough calcium?
weak bones
Without calcium in diet where do animals get their calcium from?
Their bones, this calcium is used in muscle and milk production
What are Downer cows?
cows with weak bones and without the ability to stand on their own due to these weak bones
Milk fever occurs when?
when dairy cattle have insufficient calcium in their diets. Can be experiencing shortly after lactating
Why is milk fever name misleading?
Cow does not actually have a fever
What is different in diet when a “dry” period occurs?
Less calcium is needed
What is dry period?
when female cattle is not producing milk
What happens when there is plenty of Ca in diet?
the cows’ body is set up to excrete excess Ca
When do Ca requirements skyrocket?
when a female cow calves and starts to produce milk
Why may a cows body not absorb Ca?
A rapid change of the needed level of calcium needed causes the body not to absorb some Ca even if there is adequate amounts of Ca in diet.
How to treat Milk Fever?
Administering Calcium intravenously
Intravenously definition
into or by means of a vein or veins.
Where is phosphorous found?
In high concentrations in bone and teeth
Three important things about phosphorus
Ca and P are regulated by hormones, too much P causes non-absorption of Ca, More Ca that P on a mammal diet
Loggerhead sea turtles
lack sex chromosomes, can’t tell what gender until they mature, 30 yrs of age
laparoscopy definition
a surgical procedure in which a fiber-optic instrument is inserted through the abdominal wall to view the organs in the abdomen or to permit a surgical procedure.
What happens when sea turtles have too much P in relative to Ca?
Squishy soft shells
What can excess P cause?
urinary calculi problems, especially in male ruminants
Why is urinary calculi problems, especially in male ruminants dangerous?
Male ruminants have sigmoid flexture (s-shape) in their penis. A stone can lodge in there and block urethra. Death will occur when bladders ruptures.
Where is magnesium found? Where is it used?
Mg is found in teeth and bones. Mg is used for muscle action.
What does a deficiency in Mg cause?
muscle tetany, staggers, coma and death.
What hinders Mg absorption?
The excess of potassium (K)
What sulfur do animals need?
They do not require inorganic sulfur but do need two sulfur-containing amino acids: Cystine and Methionine
How do methionine and Cystine fit into an animals diet?
Methionine is required in an animals diet but cyctine can be made from methionine in an animals diet.
When do farmers need to have a higher met/cys ratio in an animals diet?
When wool, hair, or feathers are being produced and maintained
sodium (Na), Chloride (Cl), and Potassium (K) are considered what?
Electrolytes
Ingestion of sodium (Na), Chloride (Cl), and Potassium (K) are important for what?
fluid and nutrient balance in an animals body
Sodium deficiency symptoms are?
reduced growth
decreased feed utilization
weight loss in adults and decreased milk production
What do animals deficient in Na do?
Typically crave it and will try to eat anything which contains it.
Potassium Deficiency symptoms include:
abnormal electrocardiograms (therefore abnormal heart activity)
muscle weakness
decreased growth
kidney lesions
Chlorine deficiency symptom:
Reduced growth
Sodium toxicity (where happen -animal or nah- & what is it linked to)
not common in animals but common in humans. Linked to hypertension, hear problems, and weight gain
hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (Horses and people -can be fatal) (HyPP)
hyper” means “too much of,” “kal” refers to potassium, and “emic” means “in the blood.”
What causes grass tetany and what is a symptom?
low Mg, muscle tremors
What trace minerals are required?
B, Co, Cr, Cu, F, I, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se, Si, & Zn
What are some trace minerals some species require?
Al, As, Cd, Ni, V, Sn, Br, Pb, & Li
Why is copper important?
for a healthy hair coat, for growth, and for general health, cofactor in hemoglobin formation
Symptoms of copper deficiencies
Faded hair coat (reddish color) in cattle or horses
“Steely wool” in sheep
Anemia in any species can result
What complicates copper absorption?
-Having excess molybdenum (Mo; a Trace Mineral) & sulfur in the soil (and therefore forage) can tie up copper and it may not be absorbed as well.
-Cu requirement is 5x higher for grazing animals on high-molybdenum soils.
-High iron water (including pond water) also interferes with Cu absorption
-Sheep require Cu, but it is also toxic for them at lower levels than many species and therefore farmers have to be aware of potential issues.
high-molybdenum soils
Soils that have high levels of Molybdenum.
Molybdenum
processes proteins and genetic materials like DNA. Also helps break down drugs and toxic substances
Selenium = Se
Important for normal reproduction
When is Se toxic?
At 10x requirement amount
What does Se also work as in the body
Antioxidant
What is an Antioxidant?
Any substance that reduces oxidative damage
Deficiency of Se and/or Vitamin E
-White muscle disease in lambs, calves, horses, poultry, swine, zoo animals
-Liver necrosis (death of tissue!) in pigs
-Deformities, pancreatic atrophy, edema in poultry
Aminals grazing on high-Se soils can get what?
Blind staggers
What are Blind staggers?
animal is walking around with abnormal gait as if they were blind or staggering. May not necessarily be blind.
What can longer exposure to mildly high Se in grazing animals?
Alkali Disease
What is alkali disease?
emaciation, loss of hair, deformation and shedding of hooves, loss of vitality and erosion of the joints of long bones
what does the selenium content like in NC and other states across the US … high, low, medium?
Some parts of NC is more concentrated on selenium that others. We see it in the middle and towards the coast more. In terms of the US we see more Selenium in the central US and more northern US.
Why is Zinc important?
for the integrity of skin, hooves, and feathers. Also used for normal protein metabolism and growth.
What can be the result of a zinc deficiency?
Parakeratosis
Parakeratosis definition
incomplete maturation of epidermal keratinocytes, resulting in abnormal retention of nuclei in the stratum corneum
What can affect zinc absorption?
Excess Ca
What can excess Zn do to the body?
Interferes with Cu metabolism
Iron in the body
part of the blood hemoglobin molecule
Deficiency in Iron (Fe) can cause?
-Anemia
-Milk from all species is low in iron, and baby pigs are born with low iron stores, so it is advisable to give them iron at birth (almost all farms do this routinely)
-Cu is required for proper Fe metabolism
How do Piedmont animals get a sufficient amount of Fe?
Piedmont soil is high in iron
What are other causes of anemia in animals?
-The body does not produce enough haemoglobin
-severe blood loss
-cancers
-high rates of blood cell production
Iodine functions…
As part of thyroid hormone
what does thyroid hormone control
rate of metabolism
deficiency of iodine
hairless pigs and lambs at birth. In humans its estimated that those born with iodine deficiency have an IQ 15 points lower than normal
How does iodine deficiency occur?
when goitrogens are present in feed
Fluoride (F)
primarily considered essential due to its preventative effect against dental disease
Chromium (Cr)
linked to increasing lean & decreasing fat in pigs (this has also been added to human weight loss pills as a lean enhancer - success is not consistent).
Manganese (Mn)
These deficiencies are rare due to the high content in foodstuffs although if they do occur skeletal problems are the most common symptom; toxicities are rare although found in people who work in Mn mines in some countries (symptoms usually include dementia - sometimes confused with schizophrenia).
