Effect of co, cu, fe, mn, mo, se, and zn supplementation on the elemental content of soft tissues and bone in sheep grazing ryegrass/white clover pasture

Abstract

The effects of increasing the intakes (mg/day) of Co (0.18–0.42), Cu (9.3–17.3), Se (0.04–0.12), Mo (0.17–2.17), Zn (40.0–70.4), Fe (207–787), and Mn (105–455) on the concentrations of major and minor elements in some organs, soft tissues, and bones of 72 Romney wethers were measured. The treatment and two control groups were each made up of six sheep. Trace elements were administered daily for 84 days and the sheep grazed as one group on ryegrass/white clover pasture. The animals were then shorn and slaughtered, and some organs, tissue, and bones removed for elemental analyses. A 40% increase in liver Cu occurred when Cu intakes were increased. The Se contents of the liver, kidney, and plasma were increased by over 200% and wool by 23% with increased Se intake. Similarly, increased Mn intakes increased the Mn contents of the liver, kidney, spleen, brain, and pancreas by over 25% and the gut by 260%, and increased Fe intakes increased the Fe contents of the lungs, spleen, and gut by 30, 57, and 76% respectively. Iron also decreased the Cu contents in the carcass (27%) and, markedly, in the liver (45%). Bone mineral concentrations were influenced by increasing the intakes of Se, Mo, and Cu. The Mo and Se contents of the scapula, humerus, ulna/radius, and rib were increased by over 220 and 35% respectively with increased Mo and Se intakes, and the Ca, P, Mg and Na concentrations of the bone were elevated 16–23, 17–34, 19–27, and 8–18% respectively depending on the particular bone when supplementary Cu was given. © 1990 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.