Microelements in Colostrum and Blood of Cows and their Calves during Colostral Nutrition

Abstract

The goal of the study was to use evaluation of blood and colostrum selenium (Se), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations of cows and the same blood concentrations of calves during the period of colostral nutrition to study differences in the metabolism of the different microelements in the mother and its young. Blood was collected from 12 cows and their calves before first intake of colostrum on the calving day and then at the end of the period of colostral nutrition to determine Se, Cu and Zn concentrations. First colostrum was collected from all cows. Se concentration was determined from whole blood and colostrum samples using hydride technique AAS. Cu and Zn concentrations were determined from colostrum and blood serum using flame AAS.The cows under examination were shown to have average concentrations of Se of 0.87 ± 0.30 and 0.47 ± 0.15 µmol·l -1 in whole blood and colostrum respectively, of Cu 8.95 ± 1.95 and 5.37 ± 1.80 µmol·l -1 in blood serum and colostrum respectively, and of Zn 11.62 ± 2.35 and 416.76 ± 120.07 µmol·l -1 in blood serum and colostrum respectively. Blood of calves before the first intake of colostrum was characterized by a significantly higher (p < 0.001) mean concentration of Zn (25.88 ± 8.79 µmol·l -1 ) and a significantly lower (p < 0.001) concentration of Cu (3.23 ± 1.08 µmol·l -1 ) compared with the mothers. Blood Se concentration of the calves (0.91 ± 0.26 µmol·l -1 ) was not significantly different from blood Se concentration of the cows. A significant increase (p < 0.001) in blood Cu concentration of the calves to 7.53 ± 1.98 µmol·l -1 and an insignificant increase in the mean Zn and Se concentrations to 26.40 ± 6.58 µmol·l -1 and 0.93 ± 0.32 µmol·l -1 respectively occurred during colostral nutrition. Correlation analysis showed a significant correlation (p < 0.01) between blood Se concentrations of the mothers and their newborn calves (r = 0.72). No significant correlation was found between Cu and Zn concentrations of cows and their calves. No significant relation between blood and colostrum concentrations of the different microelements of cows was found either.We have shown major differences as to the parameters of the micromineral metabolism under examination at the level of the mother/young relationship. While the calf organism can accumulate Zn throughout the intrauterine development and Zn is cumulated in cow colostrum, too, serum Cu concentrations of newborn calves are significantly lower compared with the mothers and colostrum Cu concentrations reach just about 60% of serum Cu concentrations of the cows. Although blood Cu concentration of calves increases throughout the period of colostral nutrition, it does not reach the level of serum Cu concentration of the mother by the end of the period. The Se status of newborn calves is similar to that of the mother cows and just like with Cu, Se is not cumulated in colostrum to any significant extent.

Differences in the occurrence of selenium, copper and zinc deficiencies in dairy cows, calves, heifers and bulls

“…Serum Cu concentrations found in calves cannot thus be used as direct indicators of the Cu status of their dams, and vice versa. These results are in agreement with the findings of Enjalbert et al (2002), who also reported low plasma Cu concentrations in calves in week 1 post partum compared with those found in their dams, and with our previous findings (Pavlata et al, 2004b). Lower Cu concentrations are related not only to generally lower dietary Cu intake but also they may be due to reduced Cu utilization by the animals.…”

“…It follows that Zn concentrations in calves are not a very good indicator of the microelement status of their dams. These results are in agreement with our previous findings of markedly higher blood serum Zn concentrations in calves at birth even before they were given colostrum, and also at day 5 post partum compared with maternal concentrations of that element (Pavlata et al, 2004b). This was probably a major reason why dairy cows tested in the present study had the lowest Zn concentrations of all the bovine categories studied.…”

“…Our evaluation of the Se status of cows and their calves has confirmed that the Se status in calves is very similar to that of cows, and if an adequate (or, alternatively, deficient) Se status is found in one of the two groups, it may be assumed that it also applies to the other group (Pavlata et al, 2003(Pavlata et al, , 2004b. Although statistically significant differences between GSH-Px activities in calves and their dams were found on 4 farms, the differences could not have caused a fundamentally wrong interpretation of the Se status, i.e.…”

“…But Zn levels were insufficient for the late pregnancy and early lactation periods. This is probably so because large quantities of Zn are used up by the developing foetus and because high concentrations of Zn are present also in colostrum and milk (Muehlenbein et al, 2001;Kracmar et al, 2003;Pavlata et al, 2004b). It seems that in the last stage of pregnancy and around calving, dams lose more Zn than they ingest, their Zn reserves are depleted and Zn plasma concentrations decrease.…”

“…Hitherto results of investigations into microelement deficiencies in cattle suggest that the situation on Czech dairy farms is far from being satisfactory, and data on other bovine categories are scarce (Koutnik et al, 1996;Pavlata et al, 2000Pavlata et al, , 2001bPavlata et al, , 2002Pavlata et al, , 2004b. Furthermore, because mineral element deficiencies were found in the human population in this country (Kvicala et al, 1995(Kvicala et al, , 2003Kvicala and Jiranek, 1999), information on microelement levels in farm animals may be important not only for the health of these animals but also for human medicine because these animals are used as foodstuffs (Koutnik and Ingr, 1998).…”