By Bonomi, A. and Bonomi, B. M. and Quarantelli, A., Obiettivi e Documenti Veterinari, 2000
Description
120 Italian Friesian cows were fed on rations containing normal levels of zinc (50 mg/kg) and potassium levels of 10 (control groups), 15, 20, 25 and 30 g/kg dry matter. Cows fed on 25 and 30 g K, showed a secondary zinc deficiency with a decrease in plasma zinc content (from 95 to 60 and from 98 to 70 ‘g/100 ml, respectively). Other effects of a high K intake included the occurrence of more lesions in the soft foot tissues (digital and interdigital dermatitis, interdigital hyperplasia and phlegmonous interdigital dermatitis), a decrease in reproductive efficiency (2.10 and 2.30 services/conception, respectively, compared with 1.48 and 1.57 in the control groups), reduction of milk yield (by 8.0 and 13.0, respectively), and reduced levels of milk fat (by 3.0 and 4.0%, respectively) and milk proteins (by 4.0 and 4.5%, respectively). Cattle diseases (bovine mastitis, ovarian cysts, endometritis, placenta retention, and silent oestrus) also occurred more in cows fed on high K levels. The additional feeding of zinc carbonate (2 g/day) to cows with feet problems resulted in a quicker recovery (25 days) than cows without additional feeding (60 days)
120 Italian Friesian cows were fed on rations containing normal levels of zinc (50 mg/kg) and potassium levels of 10 (control groups), 15, 20, 25 and 30 g/kg dry matter. Cows fed on 25 and 30 g K, showed a secondary zinc deficiency with a decrease in plasma zinc content (from 95 to 60 and from 98 to 70 ‘g/100 ml, respectively). Other effects of a high K intake included the occurrence of more lesions in the soft foot tissues (digital and interdigital dermatitis, interdigital hyperplasia and phlegmonous interdigital dermatitis), a decrease in reproductive efficiency (2.10 and 2.30 services/conception, respectively, compared with 1.48 and 1.57 in the control groups), reduction of milk yield (by 8.0 and 13.0, respectively), and reduced levels of milk fat (by 3.0 and 4.0%, respectively) and milk proteins (by 4.0 and 4.5%, respectively). Cattle diseases (bovine mastitis, ovarian cysts, endometritis, placenta retention, and silent oestrus) also occurred more in cows fed on high K levels. The additional feeding of zinc carbonate (2 g/day) to cows with feet problems resulted in a quicker recovery (25 days) than cows without additional feeding (60 days)
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