Open AccessOn-farm evaluation of cobalt/vitamin B12 supplementation for lamb growth on southern South Island properties
Author(s) -
G. C. Pringle,
B. H. Beckingsale,
A. K. Metherell
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
proceedings of the new zealand grassland association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1179-4577
pISSN - 0369-3902
DOI - 10.33584/jnzg.2000.62.2388
Subject(s) - cobalt , vitamin b12 , zoology , pasture , rumen , cyanocobalamin , vitamin , pellets , agronomy , chemistry , biology , food science , biochemistry , inorganic chemistry , paleontology , fermentation
On-farm cobalt/vitamin B12 supplementation trials were carried out with 3-month-old weaned lambs (N = 50) on six southern South Island properties that were considered to be deficient or marginal for cobalt over the years 1996-1999. No significant liveweight responses of the lambs were recorded over a 3-month period on any of the farms in any year. When lambs were raised on cobalt-treated pasture and were injected with vitamin B12 or had rumen cobalt pellets administered, liver and serum vitamin B12 concentrations increased. Plot trials showed two light sprays of cobalt sulphate at 60 g/ ha, 2 months apart over summer, was an effective means of maintaining herbage concentrations in the desirable range, i.e., >0.1 mg Co/kg DM. Monitoring of herbage cobalt and tissue vitamin B12 concentrations of animals was essential to indicate when lambs may need cobalt or vitamin B12 supplementation. Current reference values over-estimated the probability of responses in this set of experiments. Keywords: Cobalt, cobalt herbage level, lamb growth, vitamin B12