Author Institution: Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Wooste

Fechheimer, N. S.

Gilmore, L. O.

Washburn, R. G.

The Ohio Journal of Science

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THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF CATTLE HAIR.I. THE FAT, ASH AND NITROGEN CONTENT1R. G. WASHBURN, L. O. GILMORE AND N. S. FECHHEIMEROhio Agricultural Experiment Station, WoosterPractically nothing is known about the composition of cattle hair althoughconsiderable use in identification and diagnosis apparently is made of chemicaland microscopic analyses of hair from other species, including man. In connectionwith some detailed analysis to determine the melanin and mineral compositionof cattle hair estimates were made on the amount of fat, ash, and total nitrogen.EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDUREHair samples were cleaned before analysis by boiling for one-half hour in a0.5 percent dreft solution followed by rinsing with hot water. The hair was thendried at 100°C and subsamples were used in the determination of ash and nitrogen.The determination of ash consisted of ashing a known amount of the cleaned hairfor one hour in a muffle furnace at 540°C. Nitrogen determinations were made' on a Kjeldahl apparatus.The hair for the analysis of fat was treated in three different ways as indicatedin table 1, i.e., (1) washed in hot water followed by washing in 0.5 percent boilingdreft solution for y% hour, rinsed and dried; (2) washed in boiling 0.5 percentdreft solution for 3^ hour, rinsed and dried; and (3) rinsed in lukewarm water anddried. Method 2 was the method of choice in determining fat, ash, nitrogen andlater melanin. Subsamples of hair for fat determination were extracted inpetroleum ether for 96 hours using a Soxhlet extractor.RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONThe mean values for fat, ash and nitrogen are presented in table 1 along withthe range for each set. The method of preparing the hair appears to have asignificant effect on the values obtained for fat and indicates the importance of astandard procedure. The effect on ash and nitrogen would be similar. It canbe noted that the nitrogen content of cattle hair is but slightly lower than thevalues for human hair given by Hawk et al. (1947).In table 2 are summarized the values for means and standard errors for theash content of cattle hair of different colors. Black hair, from cattle either carryingthe recessive gene for red or those thought to be homozygous for its allele, wassignificantly higher in its ash content than hair from cattle that were brown (tan),red or white. The mean for black hair thus appears to be approximately 2.4percent and of white, red or brown hair to be within the range of 1.4 to 1.6 percent.Further effort is being put forth to determine whether one or more specific elementsare involved in this difference and also to ascertain whether or not there areelemental differences between hairs of other colors.By spectographic ^analysis the following elements were identified: barium,boron, calcium, copper, iron, lead, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus,silicon, silver sodium and zinc. Potassium was the only element found in somesamples that was not found in all. In some samples of white hair it was notidentified. The ash of hair from Holsteins (both black and white), Guernseysand Shorthorn-Guernsey crossbreds was inspected.The principal interest in the nitrogen content was in the melanin fraction.The preliminary melanin values ranged from 1.63 to 11.83 percent and definitelyjournal Article No. 90-57, Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station.THE OHIO JOURNAL OF SCIENCE 58(3): 150, May, 1958.No. 3 COMPOSITION OF CATTLE HAIR 151appeared to be associated with the color of the hair. An inspection of the datashowed no relationships between the nitrogen and melanin values for hair (black,white and tan) from Holstein-Friesians, Angus and Guernseys. A further com-parison of the melanin values of hair taken from the same cows from Januaryto October showed considerable difference in some cows but not in others. Hairfrom identical twins tended to give similar values if taken on the same day andto vary similarly with seasonal changes. It was noted also that the melaninTABLE 1The fat, nitrogen and ash content of cattle hairConstituentFa t«uAshNuNo.617413812Mean(gm/100)0.641.492.282.0413.46Human HairRange(gm/100)0.54- 0.7710.95- 1.9021.10- 3.1030.28- 3.0812.40-14.4014.60-15.80 (Hawketal., 1947)Washed in hot water followed by washing with hot dreftsolution 04%)-2Washed in dreft solution 04%).3Rinsed in luke warm water.TABLE 2The ash content of different colored.cattle hairColorWhiteRedBrownBlack (R.C.)Black (x)No. ofSamples2422144533AshMean(gm/100)1.408±1.662±1.668±2.385±*2.455±S.E..0113.1910.0365.0678.0748*Difference highly significant (P<.01) from thosepreceding.content varied, depending on the area of the body from which it was clippedwith the hair from the head being the lowest. To a lesser extent that from theshoulders was the highest. Intermediate values were obtained for the rump,thigh, saddle and neck. Samples for subsequent analyses have been taken fromthe rump or thigh areas whenever possible. For melanin studies it was found alsoto be advantageous to brush the area well with a grooming brush before clipping.SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONSAn analysis of hair from 177 different cattle showed the average fat, ash, andnitrogen content to be 1.49, 2.04, and 13.46 percent, respectively when the hairwas prepared for analysis according to a standard procedure. Hair from differentcattle were used for the analysis of each of the three constituents. The washing152 R. G. WASHBURN, L. O. GILMORE AND N. S. FECHHEIMER Vol. 58procedure prior to extraction with petroleum ether affected the value obtainedfor fat.The ash content varied from 1.4 to approximately 2.4 percent, respectivelyfor the mean value of white and black hair. The values for red and brown wereintermediate but statistically indistinguishable from the white. Whether or notblack cattle carried the gene for red appeared not to affect the ash content of thehair they produced.From the ash the following elements were identified: boron, barium, calcium,copper, iron, lead, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, silicon, silver,sodium and zinc. Potassium was not found in the ash from some of the samplesof white hair.The melanin content ranged from extremes of 1.63 to 11.83 percent as comparedto 12.4 to 14.4 percent for total nitrogen, with no apparent relationship betweenthese two constituents. Seasonal variations in the melanin content of hair fromthe same cattle sampled at different times appear to be affected both by environ-ment and genotype. The area of body sampled also affected the melanin content.The value of a standardized procedure in hair sampling is suggested.ACKNOWLED GMENTSThe technical assistance Mr. G. W. Kerr in procurring the hair samples andthe financial assistance of H. W. Norton, Jr., Chairman, Research Committeeof the Holstein-Friesian Association of America are gratefully acknowledged.REFERENCESHawk, P. B., B. L. Oser, and W. H. Summerson. 1947. Practical Physiological Chemistry.12th Ed. p. 216-217. Blakeston Co., Phila., Pa.Washburn, R. G., L. O. Gilmore, N. S. Fechheimer, and H. L. Taylor. 1953. The mineral,nitrogen, and melanin content of cattle hair. (Abstract) Jour. Animal Sci. 12: 898.

The Chemical Composition of Cattle Hair. I, The Fat, Ash and Nitrogen Content

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The Chemical Composition of Cattle Hair. I, The Fat, Ash and Nitrogen Content

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