The influence of pasture and feed composition on the mineral content of deciduous teeth in foals

Abstract

Ten foals, kept on pasture throughout the year, were used in a feeding trial to evaluate the influence of diet on the mineral composition of teeth. The diets of the experimental foals consisted of mountain pasture, hay and a complete pelleted feed. Foals of French Montagnes breed were kept on pasture until weaning on the 149(th) day and subsequently fed for meat and slaughtered at a final weight of 310 kg. Incisor and second premolar teeth were taken after preparation of their skulls for mineral analyses. Feed and teeth samples were analysed by ICP-MS and ICP-AES spectroscopy. The concentrations of calcium and phosphorus were greater in premolar teeth than in incisors. Magnesium and sodium concentrations in deciduous incisors were not significantly different from the concentration in premolar teeth in both groups of male and female foals. A significantly higher concentration of potassium and sulphur (P<0.05) was found in incisor teeth. A significantly higher concentration of selenium, was present in premolar teeth in both sex groups of foals (P<0.05), and a significantly higher concentration of nickel and manganese was found in incisor teeth (P<0.05). The concentrations of iron were greater only in incisor teeth, whereas the concentrations of chromium, copper, strontium, titanium and zinc were lower in incisor teeth. The Sr/Zn ratio was greater in incisor teeth than in premalrs, whereas the Ca/P ratio remained unchanged in incisor and premolar deciduous teeth