WOOL ANALYSIS AS AN INDICATOR FOR DIAGNOSIS OF SOME TRACE ELEMENTS DEFICIENCY IN SHEEP

WOOL ANALYSIS AS AN INDICATOR FOR DIAGNOSIS OF SOME TRACE ELEMENTS DEFICIENCY IN SHEEP

EMAN M.A. EL-NASER; GHADA A.E. MOHAMED and M.H. RATEB

Animal Health Research Institute, Assiut, Egypt.

INTRODUCTION

Body stores of minerals may be estimated from hair or wool analysis, because growing hair is metabolically active and is a sequestering tissue. Thus, hair may reflect concentrations of minerals that were in the hair follicle at the time the hair was formed (Combs et al., 1982).

Recently, a number of laboratories have been directed toward the use of hair or wool analysis as a diagnostic tool in determining the trace minerals status in man and animals (McDowell, 2003). Serum or plasma levels of trace elements had used for the determination of the minerals status of the animals and diagnosis of their deficiency diseases (Shalaby, 2003).

Upper Egypt is predominantly the domain of small and marginal farmers and the landless who keep one or two animals generally as a part of small breeders pattern (Atallah, 2004). Their animals are grazing on seasonal crop residues or freely on the perennial vegetation. The problems that arise are often associated with ill-advised feeding regimes; and cost-effective supplemental minerals.

It is difficult to get good information on the composition and quality of the ration and the amounts fed in most cases (Atallah, 2004).

Trace elements are accumulated in wool at concentration that are at least 10 times higher than those present in the blood, serum and urine (Suttle, and Jones, 2000). Wool analysis is easier, inexpensive, safe and reliable (Mohga, and Abdel-Razik; 2000). Copper, zinc, iron and manganese were known to be dietary and metabolic essential elements; they control numerous enzymatic and metabolic functions (Rink, and Ibs, 2003).

In the present study, analysis of the animal blood serum, wool and feed was conducted to determine the levels of zinc, copper, iron and manganese and to compare the wool recorded results with those of serum.

MATERIALS and METHODS

A-Animals:

This study was conducted on 40 ewes (1-4) years old of which 30 suffered from some clinical symptoms including easly detached wool, anorexia, diarrhoea and loss of skin rigidity and elasticity.

The other 10 ewes were apparently healthy according to the clinical and laboratory examinations (analysis of wool and serum) and used as control.

B- Samples and adopted methods:

- Blood samples:

Jugular blood samples in clean tubes, free from anticoagulant, were collected from the selected clinically healthy animals. The blood was allowed to clot and centrifuged, then clear blood serum was separated and stored at -20 C° until analysed.

- Wool and Feed samples: 40 wool samples, and 25 feed samples (hay and crops residue) were taken and analysed using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. About 2 gm of each sample was wet ached in a Teflon beaker with cover using (1:3) HNO3/HCLO4 acid mixture. The residue after evaporation was dissolved in dilute HCL and completed to 50 ml using bi-distilled water.

Biochemical analysis:

Blood serum concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (B3003, Perkin Elmer-AAS) at the central laboratory of the faculty of Veterinary Medicine Assiut University. Wool and feed samples were further diluted and aspirated into an atomic absorption spectrophotometer.

Statistical analysis: Recorded data were analysed statistically using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The statistical differences between means were estimated by Duncons Multiple Range test. The computation was facilitated by statistical package SPSS (2000). Pearson’s correlation (r) of data obtained by individual cases in both serum and wool.

RESULTS

The clinically diseased ewes have been reported to suffer from anorexia, unthriftness and diarrhoea. The wool was loose and easily detached.

The mean levels of blood serum concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn in clinically healthy and diseased ewes are shown in table (1).

The mean levels of wool concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn in clinically healthy and diseased ewes are shown in table (2).

The correlation coefficient between the Cu, Zn, Fe and Mg in both serum and wool were positively correlated table (3).

Hay and crops residue mixture concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn were within the range recorded by others (Table 4).

Table 1: Mean levels (± SE) of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn in the serum of clinicaly healthy and diseased ewes.

**= very highly Significant (p≤0.01),  *** very highly Significant (p≤0.001)

Table 2:Mean levels (± SE) of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn in the wool of clinicaly healthy and diseased ewes.

   *= Significant (p <0.05)  **= very highly Significant (p≤0.01)

   *** very highly Significant (p≤ 0.001)

Table 3: Correlation coefficient (r) among Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn in serum and wool

* = Significant (p< 0.05)

Table 4: Mean levels (± SE) of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn in the feed of clinically healthy and diseased ewes (on dry matter basis).

DISCUSSION

The examined ewes in this study gave an indication of trace elements deficiency in the diseased sheep and were coincided with those previously described by Faris, 2002, Abd El-Raof and Ghanem, 2006 and Shalaby, 2010.

The values obtained in this study were remarkably lower than those of previous studies (shalaby, 2003 and Shalaby, 2010).

The obtained results indicated that copper level in both serum and wool of diseased sheep (anorexia and diarrhoea) was highly significant (P<0.01) decreased as compared with the control group. This result may be attributed to inadequate copper in the diet or due to other factors which reduce the availability of dietary copper in the rumen (El-Sayed and Hassan, 1993 and Hatfield et al., 2001).

Zinc level in both serum and wool of diseased sheep (anorexia and diarrhoea) was highly significant (P<0.01) decreased as compared with the control group. This result may be attributed to nutritional deficiency of zinc which confirmed by analysis of ration. This observation was in agreement with those mentioned by Faris (2002) and Shalaby (2010). There was a general relation between zinc content of hair and its level in the diet (Radostits et al., 2004).

The reduction of serum and wool iron level in the diseased sheep (anorexia and diarrhoea) in the present study may be attributed to the deficiency of iron in the diet or due to copper deficiency, which decreases the absorption of iron and releases the iron from the body stores in addition to utilization of iron in haemoglobin synthesis. These results were in agreement with Faris, (2002) and shalaby (2003).

The reduction of serum and wool manganese level in the diseased sheep in the present study may be attributed to a dietary deficiency of manganese. Radostits et al. (2004), recorded that manganese level in hair was reflected the manganese dietary supply better than any other part of the body.

Pearson’s correlation coefficient revealed that Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn were positively correlated in both blood serum and wool samples.

Deficiency of copper, zinc, iron, and manganese occurs concurrently suggesting that nutritional deficiency problem is mostly caused by deficiency of more than one element.

Mean levels of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn in hay and crops residue mixture at the dry matter basis were at the lower margin of the latest NRC (2005) recommendations.

Concerning the small variations between the present values and those reported by other workers, can be attributed to the influence of number of examined animals, age, breed, nutrition and the environment difference (Kincaid, 1999; Khan et al., 2007 and Faille, 2008).

These findings indicated that the concentrations of copper, zinc, iron, and manganese in the wool of clinically diseased sheep gave a good indication for the diagnosis of trace elements deficiency. Wool samples can be used to detect the trace minerals deficiencies before the appearance of the clinical symptoms.

In Fact, these animals depend mainly on the amount of trace elements found in their food and no attention paid from the small holders to increase the quality of the animals' food by use supplementation with micronutrients where it is necessary. Many environmental and plant factors affect the mineral concentrations of forage plants; which include, species or strain, variety, soil type, the climatic conditions of different seasons during plant growth, stage of maturity of forage plants and other management practices (Khan et al., 2006 and  Khan et al., 2007).

Further studies will be needed to evaluate the effects of diet, regional differences, season and physiological status of the animals on serum trace elements of different animals under local farming processes.

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