Anke M

The cadmium status of horses from central Europe depending on breed, sex, age and living area.

The Cd status of animals is best reflected by kidneys and much worse by liver and hair. Breed (heavy- and warm-blooded horses) only took an insignificant effect on the Cd content of kidneys and liver. On the average, however, warm-blooded horses stored more Cd than heavy ones. Geldings from Cd-exposed living areas accumulated insignificantly more Cd in liver, kidneys and hair than mares. The influence of age on the Cd content of kidneys and liver of Cd-exposed horses was significant. The Cd exposure of a living area was very well reflected by kidneys and liver. On the average, horses from two areas with nonferrous metal smelting stored 1000 mg Cd/kg kidney dry matter and 100 to 200 mg Cd/kg liver dry matter. The highest Cd concentration of the kidneys of horses amounted to 2.6 and 2.3 g/kg dry matter, resp.

Nickel — ein essentielles Spurenelement

A total of 26 Ni-deficient (less than 100 ppm Ni in the ration) breeding goats and their 30 kids and 24 corresponding control goats with 37 kids were used to investigate, over 6 experimental years, the influence of Ni-deficiency on the reproductive performance until weaning. Following the same arrangement, 7 and 6 mini sows, respectively, and their piglets (71 and 67) were studied. The following statistically secured results were obtained. Ni-deficiency resulted in reduced pregnancy rates (after one insemination) in animals that had revealed clear estrus symptoms. This caused delayed pregnancies and birth of offspring. The conception and abortion rates, the number of offspring and the sex ratio were not influenced significantly by Ni-deficiency. Intra-uterine Ni-deficiency reduced the birth weights and caused lower weight gains during the suckling period. Its influence proved stronger in the kids as compared to the mini piglets. Ni-deficiency caused the mortality of the offspring during the suckling period to increase significantly. The losses in the Ni-deficient kids and mini piglets were by 41 and 51%, respectively, higher than in the corresponding control animals.

The effect of selenium deficiency on reproduction and milk performance of goats

Even with a high vitamin E offer, Se deficiency (less than 38 micrograms/kg DM of the ration) led to a 33% lower conception rate (P less than 0.05) in goats and to a greater than 50% lower number of kids on the 91st day of life. The Se deficiency reduced the milk production significantly by 23% during the first 56 days of lactation, the milk fat production by 11% and the milk protein production by 12%.

The influence of sulphur, molybdenum and cadmium exposure on the growth of goat, cattle and pig

In growing billy goats, bulls and heifers, the supplementation of 10 g elementary S/kg ration dry matter reduced the daily weight gain by about 15%. The offer of 10 g S and 10 mg Mo/kg ration did not intensify growth depression. It occurred, however, when 10 g S were applied together with 3 mg Cd. Under these conditions, fattening bulls gained 19% less weight. The monogastric pig reacted less sensitively to the same exposure. The growth depression only reached about 10% and remained insignificantly. On the other hand, pigs with 10 g S and 3 mg Cd gained 17% less weight (p less than 0.05). The supplementation of 20 g elementary S/kg reduced their growth dramatically. These pigs only gained 89 g weight per day. The effect of S (and Mo or Cd) supplementation was mainly due to decreased feed consumption.

The effect of selenium deficiency on the feed consumption and growth of goats.

The feed consumption of goats was only reduced after considerable Se depletion. The conversion of Se-depleted animals to an Se-rich ration increased feed consumption within one day. An intrauterine Se deficiency (less than 38 micrograms Se/kg DM of the ration) did not induce intrauterine growth depression in kids. Se depletion led to a highly significant postnatal growth depression which increased with advancing Se depletion both during the lactation period and after weaning.

Investigations on Vanadium Deficiency in Ruminants

The essentiality of V for the fauna is controversial since it was not possible to induce specific V deficiency symptoms. Up to now, there have been no long-term V deficiency experiments in which the influence of V deficiency on feed-intake, growth, reproduction and life expectancy was investigated and which resulted in V deficiency symptoms.

Die Mengen- und Spurenelementversorgung der Wildwiederkäuer

The winter grazing of wild ruminants on mantles of slate waste in the Harz mountains and in Gera county were richest in Mn whereas those on mantles of granite waste in the Erzgebirge were poorest. The flora of the shell-limestone, keuper and loess areas contains much less Mn than that of those acid habitats. The Mn-requirement of the wild ruminants grazing in the forests is met however, since bilberry plants (2,080 mg/kg), spruce twigs (984 mg/kg), spruce bark (827 mg/kg), oak twigs (791 mg/kg) and heather (754 mg/kg dry matter) in addition to many other plant species store extremely high amounts of Mn. Solely sallow twigs were poor in Mn (28 mg/kg). Based on 601 samples examined, the Mn supply of wild ruminants is extensively described. The rumen content reflected the plentiful Mn-supply of the wild ruminants living in forests (greater than 400 mg/kg) and the far worse one of field roes, particularly in Mn-deficiency areas for domesticated ruminants (mantle of shell-limestone waste 37 mg Mn/kg dry matter of rumen content). The indicator organs of the Mn-status (liver, covering hair, kidneys) verify the statements made concerning red deer, fallow deer and mouflons, of which a total of 170 head from 14 biotopes were examined. An Mn-deficit of field roes in Mn-deficiency habitats in winter cannot completely be excluded. Mouflons have not yet been able to adapt themselves to the excessive Mn-supply of the acid forest habitats in Central Europe. They stored significantly higher amounts of Mn in liver, covering hair, kidneys, cerebrum and ribs than the other wild ruminants and sheep and cattle. The normal Mn-content of the liver and the cerebrum of red deer, fallow deer and roes corresponds to that of sheep and cattle. Roes and fallow deer have winter covering hair poor in Mn (less than 4.0 mg/kg) in comparison to sheep and cattle.

Possibilities of Diagnosing Iodine Deficiency in Ruminants

We investigated the influence of a deficient, marginal or sufficient I supply (0.04 to 0.73 mg I/kg dry ration) on the I (TI, PBI, BEI) and TT4 and TT3 concentration of blood serum, milk, hair (or wool) and other organs in goats, sheep, cows, calves and fattening bulls.

Die Substitution von Eiweißfuttermitteln durch lysinergänzten proteinreichen Weizen während der Aufzucht und Legeperiode von Hennen

In the present work 8 hens taken from each of the 16 experimental groups (90 birds per group) were killed at the end of the trial period (52 weeks). The weight of the organs was determined and bones, the utilizable parts and the residual carcass were analyzed for their crude nutrient content. The experimental birds received rations containing a large proportion of high-protein wheat supplemented with varying levels of lysine. Variations in the lysine supply did not affect the mass of blood, feathers, bones, liver, stomach, heart and ovaries, including ovarian follicles. An analysis of the utilizable parts (flesh, stomach, heart, liver, follicles, fat) for crude nutrients showed that the heavier birds receiving adequate amounts of lysine contained less crude protein and more crude fat than the smaller birds. A positive correlation was found to exist between the crude ash content of these samples (expressed as %) and the levels of lysine supplied during the laying period. All the birds receiving the lysine-deficient ration during the time of rearing or during the laying period contained significantly less crude ash in their bones. Alongside with the crude ash content the phosphorus content of the bones decreased when the birds where fed the diet for laying hens.

Der Einfluß des Kupferstatus auf die Reproduktions- und Milchleistung weiblicher Rinder zweier Kupfermangelstandorte

The influence of a nutrition poor in Cu on the copper status of dairy cows was investigated with and without Cu-supplementation through the mineral mixture typical of the territory and enriched with Cu. The roughage produced in the territory investigated contained less than 8.0 mg Cu/kg and did not guarantee a Cu supply of the dairy cows meeting their needs. Feeding the mineral mixture rich in Cu improved the Cu-status of the dairy cows, did, however, in one of the territories not result in a Cu-incorporation in the liver that meets the needs. Possibly the reason for this divergent behaviour is an oversufficient S- and Fe-supply. In contrast to this, the Cu-content of the cerebrum of the cows in both territories showed the effect of the Cu in the mineral mixture.