Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Minerals and Vitamins (Function of minerals (Structural components of the…
Minerals and Vitamins
Function of minerals
Structural components of the body e.g. Bones, Teeth, Membrane stability
Physiological e.g. Osmotic pressure, Acid-base balance, Membrane permeability
-
Regulation e.g. Cell signalling, hormones and transcription
Macrominerals g/kg DM
Calcium and phosphorus
99% in bones, needed for bone and teeth, egg shell strength, muscle contraction, nerve impulses, blood coagulation and enzyme regulation
Deficiency = Rickets, Muscle aches and cramps, stiff gait, tooth decay, bone deformities
Calcium sources - legume forages and animal origin protein (Not legal in EU), grasses and grain lower and may need supplementation, Supplements usually ca phosphates and CaCO3 - phosphates are more expensive but contain phosphorous also
Hypocalcaemia - found in dairy cows after calving due to low blood calcium, can be treated with a dose of calcium borogluconate. Prevention is through dietary cation-anion balance (DCAD)
Phosphorous is linked with calcium - must be present in correct ratio, for ruminants this is around 1.75:1
Sulphur
Deficiency = Reduced rumen motility, nervousness, respiratory distress, poor wool production
Needed for amino acids, vitamins, hormones, metabolites and structure
usually provided through sulphur containing amino acids methionine which is essential and cysteine which is non essential
Magnesium
Deficiency = Hyper-Excitable convulsions, sustained myofibril contractions, reduced PTH secretion affecting Ca homeostasis
Needed for bone, oxidative phosphorylation, ATP-Mg2+ and activation of enzymes involving ATP
Hypomagnesemia - Grass staggers, seen in horses and ruminants. Body does not store Mg and therefore seen when animals are moved to lush grass with low Mg
Sodium
Deficiency = Low osmotic pressure, poor growth and reproductive issues. Excess = Excessive thirst, muscular weakness and oedema.
Needed for acid base balance, osmotic regulation, nerve signals and absorption in digestive tract
Fed as sodium chloride - often fed free choice as a block, loose or in a mineral mix. often used as a carrier for other minerals because of increased palatability
-
Microminerals mg/kg DM
Required in smaller amounts than macrominerals, most obtained from soil intake therefore supplementation less required in grazing livestock than housed animals-
Iron
Deficiency = Anaemia, poor appetite and growth, laboured breathing. Excess = Poor growth and P deficiency
Needed for haemoglobin transferrin, cytochromes and enzymes
Copper
Deficiency = Anaemia, poor growth, scouring, infertility, de-pigmentation (spectacles) and wool crimp. Excess = Liver necrosis, Appetite loss, death (breed/species differences e.g. sheep more susceptible)
Needed for blood plasma proteins, iron transport, SOD, enzyme systems, pigments
Cobalt
Deficiency = 'Pine' - general unthrifttiess, ruminants are particularly susceptible
-
Iodine
Deficiency = Thyroxine production reduced, enlargement of thyroid gland, reproductive issues (weak hairless young and abortion)
-
Trace elements
Shown to sometimes be beneficial in minute quantities but there is a fine line between benefit and toxicity. Examples include chromium which is essential but requirements are not defined and fluorine which is needed for teeth and bones but toxic at high levels.
Vitamins
Fat soluble vitamins = A, D, E and K. Water soluble Vitamins = B's and C
Vitamin A (retinol) - Derived from beta carotene - unstable in light, needed for integrity of epithelial cells, formation of retina cells. is stored in the liver and toxic in high ammounts
Vitamin D2 and D3 - D2 found in plants D3 synthesised in skin on exposure to sunlight. Stored in lover and required for Ca uptake in the gut. It is not active in the body until converted to calcitriol in the kidney
Vitamin E- Group of compounds - tocopherols and tocotrienols. Acts as an antioxidant which protects cell membrane from damage from lipid oxidation. Has a role in immune function as poly unsaturated fatty acid intake increases the need for vit E increases
-
B vitamins - Ruminant microbes can synthesise B vitamins meaning supplementation not required. They are usually required as co-enzymes
Requirements - Cattle - A, D, E. Pigs and Poultry - all vitamins
-
-