CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OR SUBCLINICAL DEFICIENCY OF COPPER AND ZINC IN MOUNTAIN CATTLE
Abstract
We carried out a study about the possible deficiency of copper and zinc which could be present in the cattle belonging to the Pardo-Alpina breed and reared in two areas in the N. O. of the mountain located in the region of León. The hay contains there copper and zinc levels that are inferior to the deficiency limit. First, we examine the animals, writing down the symptoms linked to a possible deficiency; afterwards we gather a collection of samples in order to determine their copper and zinc contens. Therefore. we are able to relate them to the concentration of these elements in the diet as well as to the clinical symptoms. The decoloration of the hair around the eyes and snout is the prevailing symptom of the deficiency of copper observed in the sampled area. The animals which present these symptoms cat a diet with copper levels inferior to the minimum needs and have a concentration of copper in the hair inferior to 7 ppm. which is considered as the deficiency limit. This alterations, partly or completely disappears when the cattle is grazing for several months. When adding a mineral proofeader to the food in quantities which are superior to the prescribed ones, the copper levels in the plasma and in the hair as well as those of zinc in the milk and in the hair are significantly inferior to the existent ones when a concentrate is added, even though the proofeaoer has levels of these trace elements which are higher than in the concentrate. Taking into account all the samples analysed, both for the copper and zinc, there are only significant differences in the faeces between the groups of animals that eat food with different concentrations of these mineral elements, so that the determination of the copper and zinc concentration in the faeces can be used as a marker of the level of these trace elements in the diet.Downloads
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
The works published in this journal are subject to the following terms:
1. The Publications Service of the University of Murcia (the publisher) retains the property rights (copyright) of published works, and encourages and enables the reuse of the same under the license specified in paragraph 2.
© Servicio de Publicaciones, Universidad de Murcia, 2019
2. The works are published in the online edition of the journal under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 (legal text). You can copy, use, distribute, transmit and publicly display, provided that: i) you cite the author and the original source of publication (journal, editorial and URL of the work), ii) are not used for commercial purposes, iii ) mentions the existence and specifications of this license.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
3. Conditions of self-archiving. Is allowed and encouraged the authors to disseminate electronically pre-print versions (version before being evaluated and sent to the journal) and / or post-print (version reviewed and accepted for publication) of their works before publication, as it encourages its earliest circulation and diffusion and thus a possible increase in its citation and scope between the academic community. RoMEO Color: Green.
