Trace element concentrations and distributions in the main body tissues and the net requirements for maintenance and growth of Dorper × Hu lambs1

Abstract

A comparative slaughter trial was conducted to estimate the trace element concentrations and distributions in the main body tissues and the net requirements for maintenance and growth of Dorper × Hu crossbred lambs. Thirty-five lambs of each gender (19.2 ± 0.36 kg initial BW) were used. Seven lambs of each gender were randomly chosen and slaughtered at approximately 20 kg BW as the baseline group for measuring initial body composition. Another 7 lambs of each gender were also randomly chosen and offered a pelleted mixed diet for ad libitum intake and slaughtered at approximately 28 kg BW. The remaining 21 sheep of each gender were randomly divided into 3 groups with 7 sheep each and assigned to ad libitum or 40 or 70% of ad libitum intake of a pelleted mixed diet (42:58 concentrate:roughage, DM basis). The 3 groups of each gender were slaughtered when the sheep fed ad libitum reached approximately 35 kg BW. Empty body (head + feet, hide, viscera + blood, and carcass) trace element contents were determined after slaughter. The results showed that the trace elements were mainly distributed in viscera (blood included), except for Zn, which was mainly distributed in the muscle and bone tissues. The net requirements were calculated using the comparative slaughter technique. For males and females, the daily net trace element requirements for maintenance were 356.1 and 164.1 μg Fe, 4.3 and 3.4 μg Mn, 42.0 and 29.8 μg Cu, and 83.5 and 102.0 μg Zn per kilogram empty body weight (EBW), respectively. Net requirements for growth decreased from 65.67 to 57.27 mg Fe, 0.35 to 0.25 mg Mn, and 3.45 to 2.82 mg Cu and increased from 26.36 to 26.65 mg Zn per kilogram EBW gain (EBWG) for males. Net requirements for growth decreased from 30.66 to 22.14 mg Fe, 0.43 to 0.32 mg Mn, 2.86 to 2.18 mg Cu, and 27.71 to 25.83 mg Zn per kilogram EBWG for females from 20 to 35 kg BW. This study indicated that the net trace element requirements for Dorper × Hu crossbred lambs may be different from those of purebred or other genotypes, and more data are needed for sheep in general.

Dorper × Santa Ines F1 crossbred lambs under different grazing times and supplement levels in tropical regions: performance and macromineral requirements

“…There is a general paucity of literature concerning the nutritional requirements of crossbred hair sheep, and in Brazil, few studies on this subject have been conducted (Costa et al 2013;Regadas Filho et al 2013;Zhang et al 2015;Pereira et al 2016), and most describe protein and energy requirements . All animal tissues and feeds have varying quantities and proportions of mineral elements (Pereira et al 2016).…”

Trace mineral requirements for growth of Moxotó goats grazing in the semiarid region of Brazil

“…These results may indicate divergences in the nutritional requirements between these species. Zhang et al (2015), reported that Fe, Mn, and Cu concentrations in Dorper × Hu lambs were greater in viscera (blood included) and zinc concentration was higher in fleece than other body tissues and that viscera tissue had more than 56, 60, and 71% of the total Fe, Mn, and Cu, respectively, in the empty body. The main pool of zinc was the tissues of bone and muscle, which had more than 32 and 36% of the total zinc, respectively, in the empty body.…”

“…Studies have also demonstrated that the retention of trace elements (mg/kg of EBWG) is influenced by the nutrition plan, sex, and final body weight (Bellof and Pallauf, 2007;Ji, et al, 2014;Silva et al, 2013;Zhang et al, 2015). Ji et al (2014) observed that concentrations of zinc ranged from 29 to 30 mg/kg EBWG for ram lambs and 29 to 28 mg/kg EBW for ewe lambs, which were slightly (b−1) , in which constants a and b were determined from the equations in Table 4.…”

“…Zootec., 46(3): [231][232][233][234][235][236][237][238][239]2017 The estimation of the trace element requirements demands exact knowledge of trace element deposition in the body (Bellof and Pallauf, 2007). Thus, an accurate technique with direct measurement, as comparative slaughter, has recently been used in trials to estimate the trace element requirements for sheep (Ji et al, 2014;Zhang et al, 2015). Therefore, the present study was performed to determine the trace element (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mg, and Co) requirements for growth of Moxotó goat kids grazing in the semiarid region of Brazil using the comparative slaughter technique.…”

The net iron, manganese, copper, and zinc requirements for maintenance and growth of Dorper × Hu ewe lambs

“…The Hu sheep is a Chinese indigenous breed that is well adapted to the ecological conditions of high temperature and high humidity areas of China and is noted for its beautiful lamb skin, precociousness and prolificacy (Yue 1996;Zhang et al 2016). The Dorper  Hu crossbred sheep has, therefore, become one of the dominant crossbreds for lamb meat production in China (Zhang et al 2015(Zhang et al , 2017. The breed or genotype of an animal affects its energy and protein requirements (Sahlu et al 2004), and therefore, it is expected that trace element requirements are also affected.…”