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Vitamin B 12 responses to cobalt pellets in beef cows
Author(s) -
JUDSON GJ,
McFARLANE JD,
MITSIOULIS A.,
ZVIEDRANS P.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1997.tb15365.x
Subject(s) - pellets , cobalt , pellet , zoology , pasture , vitamin , feces , chemistry , food science , biology , agronomy , biochemistry , inorganic chemistry , paleontology
Objective To assess the effectiveness of cobalt pellets in maintaining adequate vitamin B 12 in beef cows on pasture of low cobalt content. Design A field experiment in a herd grazing cobalt deficient pasture. Animals Mature Murray Grey cows. Procedure Cows were given a single oral dose of 0, 1, 2 or 4 cobalt pellets (30 g pellets containing 30% by weight cobaltic oxide) with a selenium pellet and a grub screw. Samples of blood, liver, faeces and milk for chemical analyses were collected at intervals over a period of 2 years after treatment. Results A single cobalt pellet raised liver vitamin B 12 concentration of cows above that of untreated cows for at least 28 weeks, and 2 or 4 pellets for 57 weeks. Plasma vitamin B 12 concentration was an unreliable indicator of the effectiveness of cobalt pellet therapy. Milk vitamin B 12 and faecal cobalt concentrations increased in response to cobalt pellet therapy. Conclusion These studies show that one cobalt pellet will prevent vitamin B 12 inadequacy in beef cows for between 28 and 57 weeks; two or four pellets will prevent inadequacy for 57 to 75 weeks. Milk vitamin B 12 concentration may be a useful indicator of the effectiveness of cobalt pellets in increasing the vitamin B 12 supply in lactating cows.