Abstract

MICHELOUD, Juan et al. Niveles séricos de minerales en hembras bovinas en un establecimiento de la región del Chaco Semiárido salteño. RIA. Rev. investig. agropecu. [online]. 2021, vol.47, n.1, pp.134-139.  Epub Apr 28, 2021. ISSN 1669-2314.

Mineral deficiencies are a problem of great productive impact worldwide. In the Argentine Northwest (NOA) extensive breeding is one of the most important economic activities and it is in frank growth. In the NOA, studies on deficiency diseases are scarce and partial. The present work aims to describe throughout the year variations of serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper and zinc in beef cows and rearing calves. In a farm, 20 cows and 20 weaned heifer calves were selected, which were maintained under grazing conditions without mineral supplementation. Blood samples were taken at intervals of 3 months for one year. Serum levels of calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and phosphorus by UV-visible spectrophotometry. The results indicate the existence of severe or moderate hypocupremia in the calves (average= 26.6 ±13 μg/dl) and cows (average=26.2 ±14 μg/dl) during all sampled periods. Subnormal levels of calcium were observed during the winter (June and September) in both groups. This work confirms that copper and calcium can behave as limiting factors in the evaluated conditions.

Keywords : Mineral deficiency; beef cattle; northwest Argentina.

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