Micronutrients Flashcards
(114 cards)
Minerals are
Minerals are micronutrients
Only required in small quantities in the diet
Usually <5%
Not a significant source of energy
Macrominerals are
Requirements are often expressed as % of the diet
* All have some structural role
* Includes Ca, P, K, Na, Mg
Microminerals are
- Requirements are often expressed as ppm or mg/kg
- Many are co-enzymes
- Despite being present in small amounts, are essential to function
- Includes Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, I, Se
Potassium role
Maintains cell shape
Major role in cardiac function
Nerve conduction, muscle contraction
Majority of potassium in body found in cells
Sources of potassium
Widely distributed
Leafy plants are rich sources
Particularly roughages-grasses, alfalfa
Grains may be inadequate
Supplementation of potassium
Rarely a nutritional problem in herbivores
May need to be supplemented in pet foods
Potassium salt
When can you see potassium deficiencies
Problem in sick animals that are off feed
Muscle weakness, cardiac rhythm disturbances, pica
Diarrhea in small animals
High potassium losses
Excessive acidification of urine
Some heart or kidney disease demand modification of food-supplied amounts
Role of sodium
Contributor to osmotic pressure of extracellular fluid
Controls blood volume
Major role in cell’s energy metabolism
Sources of sodium
Sodium chloride (NaCl, salt) of mineral or marine origin
Fish, eggs, poultry by- product meal and soy isolates
Supplementation of sodium
Only mineral for which there is a clearly defined appetite
Added directly to food or offered as part of mineral block
Increases palatability
Sodium deficiency animal behaviour and signs
In cases of deficiency, animals typically seek out salt
After months of deficiency
◦ Reduced feed intake, growth / lactation
◦ PU/PD
Sodium toxicity can be caused by and looks like
More than 2% salt in diet can be toxic
Toxicity also affected by water availability
Signs
◦ Diarrhea, PU / PD
◦ Decreased production
When does sodium toxicity happen
Salt toxicity occurs with excess salt and/or limited/intermittent water
Pigs partially susceptible
See signs if normal diet sodium
No water
Hypernatremia and CNS disease
Wandering
Blindness, deafness
Head-pressing, dog-sitting
Takes at least 2 days to develop
Chlorine is
Closely associated with sodium in maintaining osmotic pressure, regulating acid-base equilibrium and cell metabolism
Usually present in sufficient amounts if sodium requirement being met
Role of calcium
Important in formation of bones (99% of body’s calcium is retained in bones)
Muscle function and nerve transmission
Blood clotting
Source of calcium
Bone meals
Milk
Grains and meat are poor sources
Supplementation of calcium
Calcium supplementation for high-risk individuals
Vitamin D important in regulating absorption
Balance of Ca is important
Acute deficiency (hypocalcemia) causes and looks like
Usually seen in late pregnancy/early lactation
Late pregnancy, particularly sheep and small dogs with lots of foetuses
Early or rapidly rising lactation
Dairy cows after parturition
Small dogs with lots of pups
About 2-3 weeks post whelping
In all cases, going off feed also predisposes
What does the increase need for calcium do
Increased demand for calcium overcome the ability to maintain homeostasis
Body stores (bones) are adequate
Low plasma ionized Ca++
Calcium removal exceeds replacement from diet and bone
Especially likely when sudden increase in demand (e.g. onset of lactation) and reduced intake (bad weather)
Mobilization from bone cannot keep up
Signs of hypocalcemia
In ruminants hypocalcemia effects all types of muscle
Weakness and recumbency
In horses and dogs signs of increased nerve irritability dominate
Tetany and muscle stiffness (dogs)
Restlessness, aggression, whining (dogs)
Thumps (horse)
Prevention of hypocalcemia in cattle
Promote mobilization of calcium at calving
Avoid high Ca concentrations in prepartum ration
Alfalfa high in Ca
Grass hays, cereal silages, corn silages better
Anionic diets (dietary cation-anion balanced feeding systems-DCAB)
Acidic diets promote acidic-conditions
Increase effectiveness of Ca regulating hormones
Promotes calcium mobilization from cows bones
Ensure diet adequate in magnesium
Important in PTH secretion and activity
Activation of vitamin D
Prevention of hypocalcemia
High oral doses of Ca drive additional Ca absorption
Ca pastes given to cattle around the time of parturition
Ca supplements to high risk bitches
Chronic calcium deficiency causes
Bone stores reduced
Mild hypocalcemia, not usually severe enough to cause signs
osteomalacia/rickets
Most common causes are dietary insufficiencies of phosphorous or vitamin D
In growing animals, imbalance Ca/P
As bones mature at different rates, it is possible to see rickets and osteomalacia in the same animal
Calcium toxicity looks like
Some surplus Ca is excreted in urine
Especially in horses- gives white colour to urine
Excessive dietary Ca predisposes to urinary tones/crystals in horse and cats (Ca oxalate type)
As well as conditions that predispose to hypocalcemia
Calcium protects against struvite crystals in ruminants (MgNH4PO4)