Cattle vitamin deficiency symptoms

Cobalt is one of twenty-seven known elements essential to humans (28) (see Mineral NUTRIENTS). It is an integral part of the cyanocobalamin [68-19-9] molecule, ie, vitamin B 2> only documented biochemically active cobalt component in humans (29,30) (see Vitamins, VITAMIN Vitamin B 2 is not synthesized by animals or higher plants, rather the primary source is bacterial flora in the digestive system of sheep and cattle (8). Except for humans, nonmminants do not appear to requite cobalt. Humans have between 2 and 5 mg of vitamin B22, and deficiency results in the development of pernicious anemia. The wasting disease in sheep and cattle is known as bush sickness in New Zealand, salt sickness in Florida, pine sickness in Scotland, and coast disease in AustraUa. These are essentially the same symptomatically, and are caused by cobalt deficiency. Symptoms include initial lack of appetite followed by scaliness of skin, lack of coordination, loss of flesh, pale mucous membranes, and retarded growth. The total laboratory synthesis of vitamin B 2 was completed in 65—70 steps over a period of eleven years (31). The complex stmcture was reported by Dorothy Crowfoot-Hodgkin in 1961 (32) for which she was awarded a Nobel prize in 1964. 

In livestock and laboratory animals, a deficiency of vitamin E substances may cause degeneration of reproductive tissues, muscular dystrophy, encephalomalacia, and liver necrosis. Considerable research is required to fully determine supplementation of livestock diets unless typical symptoms of a deficiency appear. Symptoms have appeared where there are selenium deficiencies in the soil and where there are excessive levels of nitrates in the soil. White muscle 1 is the term used to describe a condition of muscular dystrophy in cattle. 

In cattle, PCNs have been associated with X-disease (bovine hyperkeratosis). Other symptoms observed in cattle are vitamin A deficiency, excessive salivation, and thickening of skin followed by loss of hair and occasionally death [1, 262]. Chickens exposed to PCNs showoedema, enlarged fibrous livers and lack of feather pigmentation [263],... 

A deficiency of vitamin D in the yoxmg animal results in rickets, a disease of growing bone in which the deposition of calcium and phosphorus is disturbed as a result the bones are weak and easily broken and the legs may be bowed. In young cattle the symptoms include swollen knees and hocks and arching of the back. In pigs the symptoms are usually enlarged joints, broken bones, stiffness of the joints and occasionally... 

---