3 research outputs found
Enzootic geophagia of calves and lambs in Northern Cape and Northwest and the possible role of chronic manganese poisoning
(South African J of Animal Science, 2000, 30, Supplement 1: 105-106
Haemorrhagic diarrhoea and reproductive failure in Bonsmara cattle resulting from anomalous heavy metal concentrations in soils, forages and drinking water associated with geochemical anomalies of toxic elements on the farm Puntlyf, South Africa
Poor livestock health conditions are associated with geochemical Pb anomalies on a farm
approximately 40 km east of Pretoria, South Africa. A generic risk assessment of drinking water for Bonsmara
cattle obtained from three separate subterranean water sources on the farm, revealed the presence of several
potentially hazardous constituents suspected for the development of adverse health effects in the herd. The two
main symptoms of the herd, namely, severe haemorrhagic diarrhoea in calves and reproductive failure in cows,
have been investigated. A selenium-induced copper deficiency was proposed as the main cause to the calf
diarrhoea, due to complexing between high concentrations of Se, Mo, Hg and Pb in drinking water. It was also
anticipated that such Cu deficiencies would lead to low systemic Se inducing hypothyroidism in the cows due to
inadequate iodine activation required for thyroid hormone formation and consequently adversely affect
reproduction. The anomalous Pb in borehole drinking water on the southem part of the farm, suggests a clear
genetic link with the underlying geochemical Pb anomalies detected by means of an ongoing regional
geochemical survey