Minerals and vitamins

Define a deficiency

• a lack or shortage of

define an interaction

• when two or more things react to eachother

define a macro mineral

• present at larger levels in the animals’ body/required in larger amounts in the diet

give 7 examples of macro minerals

1. Ca

2. Cl

3. Mg

4. P

5. K

6. Na

7. S

define a mico element/trace element

• present at low levels in the body/required in smaller amounts in the diet

give 10 examples of micro elements

1. Cr

2. Co

3. Cu

4. F

5. I

6. Fe

7. Mn

8. molybdenum

9. Se

10. Zn

what does essential need

• the body needs it to function properly but cannot make sufficient amounts of it on its own, so it must come from the diet

what is bioavailability

• the fraction of the nutrient in food that’s absorbed and utilised

what does marginal mean?

• middle ground between adequate status and point at which clinical symptoms of disease develop

what is the role of calcium

• skeletal formation

• milk production

• nerve function

what is the Ca requirement?

• 3-6g/kg DM

what are signs of calcium deficiency

• tremors close to birthing

• depressed, abnormal growth in young stock

• bone weakness

• spontaneous fractures in adults

what are risk factors for calcium deficiency

• older mothers

• reduced DMI

• positive DCAD

• low Mg, high P, low Ca feed

what is the role of phosphorous

• skeletal formation

• E utilisation

• metabolism

what is the requirement of P

• 2g/kg DM

what are signs of P deficiency

• reduced growth

• decreased appetite

• reduced milk production

  • fragile bones - osteomalacia

what’s the role of magnesium?

• muscle control

• nerve function

• enzymatic function

what is the requirement of Mg

• 2-3g/kg DM

what are signs of Mg deficiency

• anorexia

• decreased feed intake

• uncoordinated movement

• muscle twitching

what are risk factors for Mg deficiency

• high K/N

• spring grass

• cold snaps/stress

what is the role of iron

• rbc formation

• enzymatic function

what is the requirement of iron

• 50mg/kg DM

what are risk factors of iron toxicity

• high Fe pasture

• soil contamination of silages

what is the role of copper

• enzyme systems

• respiration

• fertility

what is the requirement of copper

• 10mg/kg DM

what are the signs of copper deficiency

• anaemia

• fragile bones

• infertility

• delayed oestrus

• reduced immune function

• neonatal ataxia

• pigmentation loss

• ill-thrift

what is ill-thrift?

• normal appetite but abnormal weight loss/condition loss

with copper deficiency, what is neonatal ataxia known as in lambs?

• swayback

what are clinical signs of iron toxicity

• inhibition of Cu

• bacterial infection

• diarrhoea

• reduced feed intake

• weight gain

what are risk factors for copper deficiency

• low pasture Cu

• high levels of antagonists in diet

requirement of copper

• 10mg/kg DM

what are signs of copper toxicity

• heamolytic crisis - jaundice, icterus, haematuria, death

what are risk factors of copper toxicity

• stressory

• illness

• species + breed

in what species is copper toxicity particularly prevalent?

• sheep

what is the role of cobalt

• vit B12 production

what is the requirement of cobalt

• 0.1mg/kg DM

what are the signs of cobalt deficiency

• B12 deficiency

  • poor immune function, ill-thrift, pale skin + mucosa

what are risk factors for cobalt deficiency

• youngstock

• species

• lime/superphosphate fertiliser

• lush grazing

• dry weather

requirement of selenium

• 0.1mg/kg Dm

role of selenium

• antioxidant

signs of selenium deficiency

• white muscle disease

• ill-thrift

• poor reproductive performance

• stiff gait

• weak calves

what is white muscle disease

• muscle wastage as a result of Se/vit E deficiency

risk factors of selenium deficiency

• young stock

• high rainfall region

• lush pasture

• phosphate fertiliser

• clover-based sward

requirement of iodine

• 0.5mg/kg DM

role of iodine

• metabolism

signs of iodine deficiency

• goiter

• reduced fertility

• hairless calves

why do animals with iodine deficiency get goiter?

• less iodine means the thyroid is less able to synthesise T3/T4

• lower conc of circulating T3/T4 leads to more TSH release from the pituitary gland

• TSH stimulates hyperplasia of the thyroid gland and goiter development

what are risk factors of iodine deficiency?

• low I during gestation

• goitrogens in feed (kale, cabbage)

• high rainfall areas and seasons

signs of lead toxicity?

• anorexia

• rumen stasis

• colic and constipation → diarrhoea

what signs develop with severe lead toxicity

neurological signs:

• blindness

• headpressing

• loss of coordination

what are risk factors of lead toxicity

• contact with lead-containing objects

• ingestion of lead-contaminated soil

requirement of vitamin A?

• 2,500-4,000 IU/kg DM

what is the role of vitamin A

• vision

• bone growth

• immunity

• epithelial tissue maintenance

what are signs of vitamin A deficiency

• night blindness

• poor growth

• poor coat

• suppressed immunity

• retained placentas

• impaired fertility

risk factors of vitamin A deficiency?

• youngstock

• pasture in drought

• lack of green pasture at parturition

• breed

• stress

requirement of vitamin D

• 1,0000 IU/kg DM

role of vitamin D

• Ca + P metabolism

• immune function

signs of vitamin D deficiency

• soft, porous, poorly developed bones = rickets

• poor appetite

• decreased growth

• stiff gait

• stillborn/deformed calves

risk factors for vitamin D deficiency

• youngstock

• year-round housing

• heavy coated

• thick woolled

• darker pigmented animals

vit E requirement

• 30-90IU/kg DM

role of vitamin E

• antioxidant

• immune function + development

• muscle growth

signs of vitamin E deficiency

• poor immune status

• muscular myopathy

• white muscle disease (with Se)

signs of vitamin E deficiency in pigs?

• cardiac condition - mulberry heart disease

symptoms of vitamin E deficiency in poultry

• myopathy

• encephalomacia

• exudative diathesis

signs of vitamin E deficiency in horses

• lameness

• muscle myopathy

risk factors of vitamin E deficiency

• youngstock

• drought

• lack of green pasture

requirement of vitamin K

• blood clotting factors

signs of vitamin K deficiency

• poor blood clotting

• internal bleeding

• haematoma

risk factor of vitamin K deficiency

• mouldy silage/legumes