title: Sequential changes in plasma methylmalonic acid and vitamin B12 in sheep eating cobalt-deficient grass.
abstract: Methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations are elevated in plasma as a result of vitamin B12 deficiency. This study reports the sequential changes in plasma MMA in lambs maintained on a cobalt-deficient pasture compared with supplemented controls. The results indicate that MMA is elevated in the early stages of deficiency, preceding the onset of loss of production and clinical signs of disease. It remains elevated as long as the lambs are unsupplemented with cobalt (Co). The most striking clinical sign was a loss of body condition as opposed to weight. The defect in the methylmalonyl CoA mutase is obviously an early defect in cobalt deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Services International, Randalstown, Antrim, N. Ireland.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McLoughlin
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Blanchflower
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: McMurray
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Goodall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003035:Cobalt / Q000172:deficiency*; D004032:Diet; D008314:Malonates / Q000097:blood*; D008764:Methylmalonic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000032:analysis*; D012756:Sheep; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008314:Malonates; D003035:Cobalt; D008764:Methylmalonic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12