| ELEMENT |
BENEFIT |
DEFICIENCY |
EXCESS |
| Alcohol
Ethoxylate Teric |
Rumen
detergent to disperse the stable foam formed when green pastures are
consumed. |
Bloating
occurs in cattle and sheep |
|
| Bentonite
|
Acts
in the rumen in ways not yet defined, acts to stabilise the rumen
environment. |
|
|
| Bovatec
(Lasolocid)
|
Rumen
modifier affects the type of bacteria in the rumen decreases the lactic
acid producers. |
Also
has a coccidiostat effect. |
|
| Calcium
|
Linked
with Phosphorus & Vitamin D, promotes bone and skeletal strength |
Rickets,
milk fever |
When
in excess of a 2:1 ratio with phosphorus, the up-take of phosphorus
is impaired |
| Cobalt
|
Used
in rumen by bacteria to produce Vitamin B12.B12 is needed for Volatile
Fatty Acid conversion to Glucose. |
Poor
growth, anorexia, anaemia, death |
|
| Copper
|
Involved
in multitude of enzyme reactions. |
Sheep:
steel wool. Cattle: harsh dull coat.
Spinal cord involvement.
Bone abnormalities and heart failure.
|
Acute
haemolytic episodes especially if animal is grazing liver toxic plants.
e.g. Salvation Jane |
| Cottonseed
meal
|
Excellent
source of by-pass protein |
Failure
to thrive.
Early death.
Stunted growth
|
|
| Iodine |
Affects
Thyroid function |
Goitre,
ill thrift.
High lamb losses.
|
|
| Lupins
|
Good
rumen degradable protein source also high in energy. Is only a source
of by-pass protein if fed at high levels. |
|
Lupniosis |
| Magnesium |
Linked
to phosphorus & nitrogen, milk production. |
Grass
Tetany.
Death
|
Uptake
inhibited by potassium |
| Molasses
|
Fermentable
carbohydrate feed source . source of minerals |
|
|
| Molybdenum
|
Can
be used to complex copper where copper toxicity is a problem |
Scouring
chronic copper poisoning . |
Scouring
anaemia Complexes with copper and causes a copper deficiency. |
| Phosphorus |
Linked
with calcium & protein ingestion (appetite), increased fertility
|
Emaciation,
poor appetite, infertility |
When
in excess of 1:2 ration with calcium, absorption may be impaired |
| Potassium
|
Usually
sufficient levels in feed |
|
Certain
breeds of horses contain a deleterious gene that can cause paralysis
and collapse with high blood potassium. |
| Rumensin
(monensin) |
As
for bovatec |
|
|
| Salt
(Sodium Chloride)
|
Important
in numerous body functions |
A
lot of pastures are deficient in sodium. Ill thrift and depressed
growth rates |
Usually
not a problem provided adequate water available |
| Selenium
|
Works
in the body to produce antioxidants |
White
muscle disease, acute heart failure, immune system depression, retained
fetal membranes in cows. |
Alkali
disease with hoof deformations to shedding of the hoof. |
| Sulphur
|
Important
in wool production .
Needed by the fungi
in the rumen.
|
Wool
with low gloss and feel
Affects dry feed utilization
|
Can
act with molybdenum to cause a copper deficiency |
| Urea
|
Cheap
non-protein nitrogen source that can be used by the bacteria in the
rumen |
Affects
dry feed utilization |
Urea
toxicity, sudden death |
| Vitamin
A
|
Fat
soluble vitamin, available in green plants (carotenoids)
Deficiency can occur
in prolonged droughts or grain feeding
|
Excessive
tear production (lachrymation) , nasal discharge ,diarrhoea ,rough
coat and bone abnormalities,
night blindness
|
Loss
of appetite, bone changes, hunched back and coat dullness |
| Vitamin
B
|
Water
soluble vitamin group
very rare for deficiencies
of this group to occur in ruminants
|
|
|
| Vitamin
B1 |
Deficiency
occurs in cattle and sheep from the eating of an anti-B1 factor (thiaminase)
especially from thiaminase containing plants |
Polioencephalomalacia
(brain involvement),
loss of appetite, muscular weakness, progressive nervous tissue
dysfunction
|
|
| Vitamin
D
|
Usually
not a deficiency problem due to the sun light exposure in Australia.
Can occur in shedded animals |
Rickets,
bony changes, poor growth |
Bone
changes, calcium deposits in tissues |
| Vitamin
E |
Requirements
are normally met from fresh green feeds |
Deficiency
can occur in sheep grazing dry grass or cereal stubble and housed
animals fed rations low in vitamin E (oats , wheat) |
Depressed
growth rate, slow blood clotting, depressed thyroid function . |
| Zinc
|
Healthy
coat and skin, involved with nutrition of skin and hooves |
Poor
testicular growth, hair & skin problems, thickened skin, stiffness
on walking, abnormal hoof growth |
|
