Trace elements in cattle and sheep Flashcards
Deficiencies in which trace elements can cause reduced immunity?
Copper, selenium, zinc
Give some syndromes associated with a deficiency in copper
Swayback, coat colour, falling disease (collagen defect), reduced immunity
Give some syndromes associated with a deficiency in selenium
White Muscle disease, reduced immunity, cardiomyopathies
Give some syndromes associated with a deficiency in cobalt
Reduced growth, wool changes
Give some syndromes associated with a deficiency in iodine
Weak neonates
Give some syndromes associated with a deficiency in both iodine and selenium
Stillbirth/weak calf syndrome
What is the main source of trace elements?
Pasture and soil
Feeding concentrates in the diet increases absorption of trace elements from the gut
Which kind of animals are at risk from trace element deficiencies?
Animals at pasture (and not getting concentrates)
(Concentrates increase absorption of trace elements from the gut)
eg beef cows
Where is copper stored?
Liver
What happens in cases of copper toxicity?
Which breed of sheep is more prone to this and why? Which is not?
Haemolytic crisis-jaundice and death
Texels are good at absorbing copper so are at risk from toxicity
Scottish Blackface are bad at absorbing copper so are at risk from deficiency
How do we diagnose trace element deficiencies?
History-at pasture with no supplements?
Blood samples- eg selenium
Liver biopsy- copper
Why are dairy cows at risk from copper toxicity?
Excessive supplementation by farmers (due to myth that copper deficiency -> infertility)
How can you supplement trace elements?
Drenches- short duration
Injections- copper for sheep, cobalt-vit B12 (immediate but short-lived response)
Rumen boluses- copper, cobalt, selenium, iodine
Copper oxide boluses- broken down by acid in abomasum to give copper)
Flank painting- iodine
Which trace elements must be included in a bovine/ovine diet?
Selenium Copper Manganese Zinc Sodium Cobalt Iodine
Copper is bound in the rumen by what?
Molybdenum
Iron
