Serum Concentrations of Iron, Copper, Zinc, Manganese and Cobalt in Anoestrus Cattle and Buffaloes under Farm Condition

Vishal Mudgal, Vishnu Kumar Gupta, Shalini Srivastava, Ajaz Ahmed Ganai

Abstract
The present study was planned to determine serum micro-mineral status (iron, copper, zinc, manganese, cobalt) in 50 anoestrus Murrah buffalo, Sahiwal and Crossbred cows and heifers. Serum micro-mineral contents were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Mean serum concentrations of iron, copper, zinc, manganese and cobalt taken from 14 Murrah buffalo cows and heifers were 2.82 ± 0.65, 0.48 ± 0.20, 2.65 ± 1.46, 0.24 ± 0.06 and 0.49 ± 0.24ppm, respectively. These mean values were 2.47 ± 1.35, 0.52 ± 0.16, 3.69 ± 2.57, 0.18 ± 0.09 and 0.56 ± 0.22ppm, respectively in 20 Sahiwal cow and heifers, while, 3.16 ± 1.05, 0.45 ± 0.13, 2.76 ± 1.51, 0.21 ± 0.07 and 0.51 ± 0.22ppm, respectively in 16 crossbred cow and heifers. Compared with normal range of these trace elements in healthy animals the level of copper was on a border way to show the signs of clinical deficiency symptoms, while the levels of other elements was in quite safe range to encounter any problem. It was concluded that deficiency of copper, could be responsible for anoestrus condition in these animals. Thus, to overcome the deficiency, strategic dietary supplementation of copper with better bioavailability could be a suitable approach.

Key words: Buffalo, Sahiwal, Crossbred, Cows, Heifers, Anoestrus, Serum, Trace elements.