Composition of Lipids of Cereal Forages as Related to Tetany in Cattle

Forage samples were collected from mixed winter wheat and rye (Triticum aestivum L. and Secale cereale L.) pastures, from December through April at El Reno, Oklahoma, while they were grazed by 32 mature cows to determine if the concentrations and speciation of naturally occurring higher fatty acids (HFA) in forage were related to the incidence of tetany. Forage samples were analyzed for N, K, aconitic acid, total lipids and total and individual Cll to C18:3 HFA. Total HFA and lipid values were high in the very immature forage, but these values decreased as the winter season progressed. In early March, these values increased sharply coinciding with rapid forage growth and were near maximum on the day (19 March) when tetany occurred in five cows. Forage N concentrations were also maximum on that day and then declined rapidly with time. A positive correlation (P<.05),occurred between forage N, total lipids, HFA, K, aconitic acid, and C18:3. A negative correlation (P<.05) occurred between total lipids and C18:2 and C16; HFA and C18:2, and between C18:3 and C18:2 and C16. Aconitic acid and K were also negatively correlated with C16 and C18:2. Linolenic (C18:3) was the predominant fatty acid (62 percent), followed by palmitic (C16 at 15 percent) and linoleic (C18:2 at 10 percent). Other fatty acids (C12, 14, 16:1, 18 and 18:1) constituted the remaining 13 percent. The fatty acid composition was similar to that reported in other gramineae forages. It was concluded that the naturally occurring HFA could be a factor in tetany of grazing animals

Composition of Lipids of Cereal Forages as Related to Tetany in Cattle

Forage samples were collected from mixed winter wheat and rye (Triticum aestivum L. and Secale cereale L.) pastures, from December through April at El Reno, Oklahoma, while they were grazed by 32 mature cows to determine if the concentrations and speciation of naturally occurring higher fatty acids (HFA) in forage were related to the incidence of tetany. Forage samples were analyzed for N, K, aconitic acid, total lipids and total and individual Cll to C18:3 HFA. Total HFA and lipid values were high in the very immature forage, but these values decreased as the winter season progressed. In early March, these values increased sharply coinciding with rapid forage growth and were near maximum on the day (19 March) when tetany occurred in five cows. Forage N concentrations were also maximum on that day and then declined rapidly with time. A positive correlation (P<.05),occurred between forage N, total lipids, HFA, K, aconitic acid, and C18:3. A negative correlation (P<.05) occurred between total lipids and C18:2 and C16; HFA and C18:2, and between C18:3 and C18:2 and C16. Aconitic acid and K were also negatively correlated with C16 and C18:2. Linolenic (C18:3) was the predominant fatty acid (62 percent), followed by palmitic (C16 at 15 percent) and linoleic (C18:2 at 10 percent). Other fatty acids (C12, 14, 16:1, 18 and 18:1) constituted the remaining 13 percent. The fatty acid composition was similar to that reported in other gramineae forages. It was concluded that the naturally occurring HFA could be a factor in tetany of grazing animals

Renal cortex copper concentration in acute copper poisoning in calves

The aim of this study was to estimate the diagnostic value of renal cortex copper (Cu) concentration in clinical cases of acute copper poisoning (ACP). A total of 97 calves that died due to subcutaneous copper administration were compiled in eleven farms. At least, one necropsy was conducted on each farm and samples for complementary analysis were taken. The degree of autolysis in each necropsy was evaluated. The cases appeared on extensive grazing calf breeding and intensive feedlot farms, in calves of 60 to 200 kg body weight. Mortality varied from 0.86 to 6.96 %, on the farms studied. The first succumbed calf was found on the farms between 6 and 72 hours after the susbcutaneous Cu administration. As discrepancies regarding the reference value arose, the local value (19.9 parts per million) was used, confirming the diagnosis of acute copper poisoning in 93% of the analyzed kidney samples. These results confirm the value of analysis of the cortical kidney Cu concentration for the diagnosis of acute copper poisoning