Trace element status of soil and organically grown herbage in relation to animal requirements

To obtain a general picture of the herbage zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), cobalt (Co) and selenium (Se) concentrations on organic livestock farms, we analysed soil (2001) and herbage (2001 and 2002) samples from 28 farms from four regions in Norway. We analysed animal blood plasma Cu, B12 (Co), α- and γ-tocopherol (vitamin E) and whole blood Se to investigate if the farms feeding practice met the dietary need of Cu, Co, Se and vitamin E in animals. The first cut herbage median (10th-90th percentile) Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Mo, Co and Se concentrations were 19 (14-34), 50 (36-88), 34 (22-86), 5.3 (3.9-6.8), 1.5 (0.6-4.8), <0.05 (<0.05-0.08) and <0.01 (<0.01-0.03) mg kg-1 DM, respectively. The herbage trace element concentration was generally higher in the second cut. The second cut herbage median (10th-90th percentile) Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Mo, Co and Se concentrations were 21 (16-37), 84 (52-171), 66 (36-205), 7.0 (5.7-9.3), 3.3 (1.6-10.1), 0.06 (<0.05-0.15) and 0.02 (<0.01-0.06) mg kg-1 DM, respectively. The plasma Cu and B12 (except one sheep herd) concentration were within the suggested normal range set by the Norwegian Veterinary Institute. Whole blood Se concentrations were 0.10 (0.04-0.15) µg g-1 in dairy cattle and 0.14 (0.03-0.26) µg g-1 in sheep. Vitamin E concentrations were 4.2 (2.7-8.4) mg L-1 in dairy cattle and 1.3 (0.9-2.4) mg L-1 in sheep. The results of mixed model analyses of herbage Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu and Mo indicated that soil pH, soil texture, botanical composition and phenological stage at harvest mostly influenced the herbage trace element concentrations within regions. There was a poor relationship between soil and herbage trace element concentrations, except for Zn. None of the soil and plant variables explained the variation in the herbage Se or Co concentration, but the number of samples was too low to draw clear conclusions on these two elements. There were some differences in soil and herbage trace element concentrations between regions. It was generally concluded that Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu and Mo did not limit plant growth. The herbage concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu and Mo were sufficient to meet the dietary needs of ruminants. The herbage Zn concentration was insufficient to meet the dietary needs of dairy cattle. The herbage Co and Se concentrations and the Cu/Mo ratio were not alone balanced to meet the dietary needs of ruminants. The on-farm feeding practises fulfilled the dietary needs of Cu and Co. Selenium contents were generally insufficient on dairy farms under prevailing feeding regimes, whereas the vitamin E was insufficient on sheep farms. It is therefore highly recommended to use trace element mixtures and/or concentrates fortified with Cu, Co, Se and vitamin E on Norwegian organic livestock farms. Most open vessel digestion procedures of biological material utilize a mixture of acids that include perchloric acid. There have been many accidents associated with the use of perchloric acid where serious injury has resulted. Therefore, a microwave digestion procedure of biological material, avoiding the use of perchloric acid while maintaining accurate selenium recoveries, was developed. Biological material was digested in two steps using nitric acid followed by hydrogen peroxide. Following the addition of phosphoric acid, remaining nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide were removed by evaporation, and Se-oxides were reduced to selenite using hydrochloric acid. Samples were adjusted to a buffered pH of 1.75 and reacted with 2,3-diaminonaphthalene. The resulting piazselenol complex was extracted into cyclohexane. A normal phase HPLC method, using an amino phase column and a cyclohexane/ethyl acetate mobile phase, was used to separate the piazselenol complex from any remaining impurities before fluorescence detection on a HPLC-FLD. The relationship between peak height and selenium concentration was linear between 0 and 2 mg L-1. The mass detection limit of the complete procedure was 0.29 ng of selenium. Recoveries of Se were within the certified range for the material analysed. A pot experiment was used to investigate the relationship between ammonium-nitrate and selenate in the wheat uptake and leaching water loss of Se. Ammonium-nitrate was applied by two methods, (i) entire dose at sowing (ii) in split application as 75 % at sowing and 25 % at stem elongation. Selenate was applied at sowing, tillering, stem elongation, head emergence and at milking growth stage. Split N application increased the protein content and Se concentration in grain, but decreased the Se concentration in leaf and straw. The highest Se concentration in the plant was achieved when the soil N potentially was highest. The Se leaching losses increased with response uptake by plants, being highest at highest Se uptake by plants, but decreasing with split N application. Conclusions of the work: • Supplement of Cu, Co, Se and vitamin E are recommended to both dairy cattle and sheep and Zn to dairy cattle in organic husbandry in Norway. • It is possible to determine Se in biological material without use of perchloric acid. • Applying selenate and ammonium-nitrate together after tillering increases the wheat grain Se concentration and total Se uptake, split N application having the lowest leaching losses of Se

Immunological effects of feeding different sources of vitamin E and seaweed in a sheep herd during the winter season

In winter fed organic raised sheep inadequate plasma vitamin E levels is common and therefore supplementation is recommended. The objective of the present work was to test the supplementation of natural vitamin E and seaweed meal on the immune status of ewes and their offspring. Forty Norwegian White Sheep ewes were randomly allocated to three supplementation treatments: natural vitamin E, synthetic vitamin E, seaweed meal, and control. The feeding experiment lasted the entire indoor feeding period. Ewes and newborn lambs were vaccinated against different environmental microorganisms and pathogens. Different immunological parameters were measured. Supplementing the ewes with natural vitamin E had positive effect on immunity against Mycobacterium bovis in lambs. Seaweed, on the other hand, had negative effect on the passive transfer of maternal antibodies in lambs the first week after birth. The adaptive immunity was not affected by seaweed supplementation

Mikromineralinnhold i jord og planter - mikromineralforsyning til drøvtyggere i økologisk landbruk

Det var generelt et høgere innhold av de enkelte mikromineralene i andre slått enn i første slått. Flere av planteprøvene viste så lavt innhold av sink at det kan redusere avlingsnivået. Mikromineralinnholdet i kløver var høyere enn i den samlede fraksjonen av gras, kløver og urter, slik at økt kløverinnhold i enga er viktig for å øke innholdet av mikromineraler i fôret Ut fra mineralbehovet hos sau- og storfe viste plante- og blodprøver at flere av besetningene hadde for liten tilførsel av selen og E-vitamin, mens tilførselen av kobolt og kopper stort sett var tilfredsstillende

Sustainable nutrient supply of organic farming challenged by specialisation

Diverse production on each farm, with livestock density well balanced with crop production, has been the traditional way to maintain the soil fertility in organic farming systems. However, there is a trend of specialisation into stockless arable or livestock farms. Stockless farming is challenged by depletion of soil mineral reserves and soil organic matter, risk of large nutrient losses after green manuring, and dependence on nutrient supply from external sources. In this paper, we focus on these challenges to sustained soil fertility

Bedre tilgang av mikronæringsstoff til grønnsaker ved økologisk dyrking på jord med høy pH

Denne rapporten belyser mulige løsninger for å redusere pH i jord for dermed å øke tilgjengeligheten av mikronæringsstoff i organiske gjødselkilder ved dyrking av økologiske grønnsaker på friland i jord med høy pH. Rapporten vurderer ikke tilgjengeligheten av mikronæringsstoff i ulike organiske gjødselkilder eller hvilken effekt de har på avlingen

Mikromineralinnhold i jord og planter - mikromineralforsyning til drøvtyggere i økologisk landbruk

For alle mineralene unntatt klor var det et høgere innhold i 2. slått enn i 1. slått. Flere av planteprøvene viste så lavt innhold av ett eller flere makromineral at det antagelig reduserte avlingsnivået. Ut fra mineralbehovet hos sau og storfe viste plante- og blodprøver at flere av besetningene hadde liten tilførsel av svovel, fosfor, selen og E-vitamin, mens tilførselen av magnesium, kobolt og kopper var tilfredsstillende. Videre bearbeidelse av innsamla datamateriell og utprøving av ulike selentilskudd til jord og planter vil danne grunnlaget for å trekke endelig konklusjoner i forskningsprogrammet, samt utarbeide praktiske råd om mineraltilførsel til planter og drøvtyggere i økologisk landbruk

Characterization of Selenium Incorporation into Wheat Proteins by Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis–Laser Ablation ICP MS followed by capillary HPLC–ICP MS and Electrospray Linear Trap Quadrupole Orbitrap MS

A method has been developed for a rapid and precise location of selenium-containing proteins in large two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis gels. A sample was divided into four aliquots which were analyzed in parallel by 1D isoelectric focusing electrophoresis (IEF)–laser ablation (LA) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS), 1D sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE)–LA ICP MS, and, in duplicate, by 2D IEF-PAGE. On the basis of the 1 D electropherograms obtained, areas supposed to contain the largest concentrations of Se were subjected to LA ICP MS imaging to locate precisely the position of Se-containing proteins which were then identified in the parallel 2D gel by electrospray Orbitrap MS/MS. The method was applied to the identification and semiquantitative determination of selenium storage proteins in wheat. MS evidence is presented for the Se–S substitution in plants not only in methionine but also in cysteine

Characterization of Selenium Incorporation into Wheat Proteins by Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis–Laser Ablation ICP MS followed by capillary HPLC–ICP MS and Electrospray Linear Trap Quadrupole Orbitrap MS

A method has been developed for a rapid and precise location of selenium-containing proteins in large two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis gels. A sample was divided into four aliquots which were analyzed in parallel by 1D isoelectric focusing electrophoresis (IEF)–laser ablation (LA) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS), 1D sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE)–LA ICP MS, and, in duplicate, by 2D IEF-PAGE. On the basis of the 1 D electropherograms obtained, areas supposed to contain the largest concentrations of Se were subjected to LA ICP MS imaging to locate precisely the position of Se-containing proteins which were then identified in the parallel 2D gel by electrospray Orbitrap MS/MS. The method was applied to the identification and semiquantitative determination of selenium storage proteins in wheat. MS evidence is presented for the Se–S substitution in plants not only in methionine but also in cysteine

Factors affecting the concentration of Zn, Fe and Mn in herbage from organic farms and in relation to dietary requirements of ruminants

To obtain a general picture of the herbage zinc, iron and manganese concentrations and their relation to dietary requirements of ruminants on organic farms, we analysed soil and herbage samples from four regions in Norway. The soil median Zn, Fe and Mn concentrations were 0.18, 13 and 0.84 mg/L, respectively. The herbage median (10th-90th percentile) Zn, Fe and Mn concentrations (mg/kg) in herbage in the first cut were 19 (14-34), 50 (36-88), 34 (22-86) and in the second cut 21 (16-37), 84 (52-171) and 66 (36-205), respectively. The results of mixed model analysis of herbage Zn, Fe and Mn indicate that soil pH, soil texture, soil mineral concentration and botanical composition are the most influencing factors. We conclude that Zn, Fe and Mn did not limit plant growth, and that the herbage concentrations except for Zn, were sufficient to meet the dietary needs of ruminants on organic dairy farms

Status of selenium and vitamin E on Norwegian organic sheep and dairy cattle farms

Herbage selenium (Se) concentration is generally low in Norway. It is unknown, if feeding practises on Norwegian organic farms fulfil the dietary need of Se and vitamin E to sheep and dairy cattle. Therefore, we analysed Se in soil and herbage, and Se and vitamin E in animal blood in the indoor feeding season at 14 organic dairy and 14 organic sheep farms. The herbage Se concentration was low. Approximately 50 and 35 % of all samples in the first and second cut, respectively, had Se concentrations below the detection limit of 0.01 mg/kg dry matter (DM). The median (10th, 90th percentile) Se concentrations were <0.01 (<0.01, 0.03) and 0.02 (<0.01, 0.06) mg/kg DM in the first and second cuts, respectively. Whole blood Se concentrations were 0.10 (0.04, 0.15) µg/g in dairy cattle and 0.14 (0.03, 0.26) µg/g in sheep. Vitamin E concentrations were 4.2 (2.7, 8.4) mg/L in dairy cattle and 1.3 (0.9, 2.4) mg/L in sheep. None of the soil or plant variables explained the variation in herbage Se concentration, although Se in soil and plant tended to be correlated. Herbage Se concentration was inadequate to meet the dietary Se requirements. Vitamin E requirement was only met in dairy herds. We recommend Se and vitamin E supplementation to ruminants on organic farms