Mineral status of cattle in the San Carlos region of Costa Rica

Two experiments on 12 beef and 9 dairy cattle farms were conducted to determine the mineral status of grazing cattle in the San Carlos region of Costa Rica by evaluating concentrations of minerals in liver, plasma, bone ash, forages, and oxalate contents of forages. Copper and cobalt in liver, and phosphorus and magnesium of plasma were borderline to deficient. Of livers, 23 percent and 27 percent were borderline to deficient in copper and cobalt. Iron, zinc and manganese in liver were lower than normal for 63, 16 and 44 percent, respectively, of the animals. In dairy cattle, samples of blood and forage were collected on each of 5 farms with and 4 farms without Setaria sphacelata. Calcium (0.29 percent) and phosphorus (0.18 percent) concentrations in forage were low in relation to requirements of lactating dairy cows. Phosphorus in plasma was deficient on all farms. Oxalate percentages were higher in Setaria pastures (2.30 percent) than in other pastures (1.24 percent). Low calcium and phosphorus in forage and high oxalate in Setaria pastures may be responsible for the high incidence of a milk fever-like condition in dairy cattle

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	82955 Kiatoko, M., 92362 McDowell, L.R., 67455 Fick, K., 68354 Fonseca, H., 53159 Camacho, J., 87538 Loosli, J.K., 58626 Conrad, J.H.
Format:	biblioteca
Published:	1978
Subjects:	GANADO DE LECHE, ESTADO NUTRICIONAL, MINERALES, COMPOSICION DE LA SANGRE, HIGADO, FORRAJES, COMPOSICION QUIMICA, OXALATO, COSTA RICA,
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