Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-f46jp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-13T17:14:05.761Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The concentration of minerals in the blood of genetically diverse groups of sheep:V. Concentrations of copper, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and sodium in the blood of lambs and ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

Gerald Wiener  and
A. C. Field
Gerald Wiener
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
A. C. Field
Affiliation:
Moredun Research Institute, Gilmerton, Edinburgh
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Concentrations of Cu, Ca, P, Mg, K and Na were examined in the blood plasma (whole blood for P) of 149 adult ewes and their 244, 15-week-old lambs in a grassland flock of sheep. The ewes were 3 or 4 years old and of five crossbred types produced by mating Scottish Blackface females to Border Leicester, dun Forest, Dorset Horn, Finnish Landrace and Tasmanian Merino rams. The lambs in turn were the offspring of these crossbred ewes, and two rams of each of the Oxford Down, Southdown, Soay breeds and one Cheviot ram.

Breed of sire (but not sire within breed) was a significant source of variation in the concentration of all the minerals, except Na, in the blood of both ewes and lambs. Other factors considered were age of ewe and sex, birth type, type of rearing, and date of birth of lamb. None of these appeared to be significant sources of variation except that twins and triplets, if reared as such, had higher concentrations of Ca in their blood than lambs born and reared as singles; however the ewes with singles were on different pasture from those rearing 2–3 lambs. For the mineral levels in the blood of the lambs there was no significant interaction of breed of ram with cross-breed of ewe. The lambs had substantially higher concentrations of Cu and P in their blood than their mothers and also significantly higher concentrations of Ca, Mg and possibly K. This may not be attributable to age alone because the lambs and their mothers also differed in genotype.

Heritability estimates based on parent-offspring regression were 0·4 ±0·14 for Cu and less than 0·2 for the other minerals.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 76 , Issue 3 , June 1971 , pp. 513 - 521
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1971

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Becker, D. E. & Smith, S. E. (1950). A chemical and morphological study of normal sheep blood. Cornell Vet. 40, 350–6.Google ScholarPubMed
Donald, H. P., Read, J. L. & Russell, W. S. (1968). A comparative trial of crossbred ewes by Finnish Landrace and other sires. Anim. Prod. 10, 413–21.Google Scholar
Donald, H. P., Read, J. L. & Russell, W. S. (1970). Influence of litter size and breed of sire on carcass weight and quality of lambs. Anim. Prod. 12, 281–90.Google Scholar
Eaqleton, G. H., Hall, J. G. & Russell, W. S. (1970). An estimation of dominance at the locus controlling blood potassium in sheep. Anim. Blood Groups & Biochem. Genet. 1, 135–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Falconer, D. S. (1961). Introduction to Quantitative Genetics. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd.Google Scholar
Field, A. C., Wiener, G. & Wood, J. (1969). The concentration of minerals in the blood of genetically diverse groups of sheep. II. Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium and chlorine concentrations for three hill-breeds and their crosses at pasture. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 73, 267–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haokett, P. L., Gaylor, D. W. & Bustad, L. K. (1957). Blood constituents in Suffolk ewes and lambs. Am. J. vet. Res. 18, 338–41.Google Scholar
Long, C. H., Ullrey, D. E., Miller, B. R., Vincent, B. H. & Zutant, C. L. (1965). Sheep hematology from birth to maturity. III. Serum calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium. J. Anim. Sci. 24, 145–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Underwood, E. V. (1962). Trace Elements in Human and Animal Nutrition. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Wiener, G. (1966). Genetic and other factors in the occurrence of swayback in sheep. J. comp. Path. Ther. 76, 435–47.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wiener, G. (1971). Relationships between swayback incidence and concentration of copper in the blood of sheep of different breeds. J. comp. Path. Ther. (in the Press).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wiener, G. & Field, A. C. (1969). Copper concentrations in the liver and blood of sheep of different breeds in relation to swayback history. J. comp. Path. 79, 7–14.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wiener, G. & Field, A. C. (1970). Genetio variation in copper metabolism of sheep. In Trace Element Metabolism in Animals, pp. 92–101 (ed. Mills, C. F.). Edinburgh: E. and S. Livingstone.Google Scholar
Wiener, G., Field, A. C. & Jolly, G. M. (1970). The concentration of minerals in the blood of genetically diverse groups of sheep. IV. Factors influencing seasonal changes in copper concentration. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 75, 489–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wiener, G., Field, A. C. & Wood, J. (1969). The concentration of minerals in the blood of genetically diverse groups of sheep. I. Copper concentrations at different seasons in Blackface, Cheviot, Welsh Mountain and crossbred sheep at pasture. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 72, 93–101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wiener, G., Field, A. C. & Wood, J. (1969). The concentration of minerals in the blood of genetically diverse groups of sheep. III. Correlations among calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chlorine, and copper concentration. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 73, 275–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wiener, G. & Macleod, N. S. M. (1970). Breed, bodyweight and age factors in the mortality rate of sheep following copper injection. Vet. Eec. 86, 740–3.Google ScholarPubMed
Wiener, G. & Sampford, M. R. (1969). The incidence of swayback among lambs with particular reference to genetic factors. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 73, 25–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar