Effect of zinc deficiency on the pregnant ewe and developing foetus.
Mature Merino ewes were given either a low-zinc diet (4 mg/kg) or an adequate-Zn diet (50 mg/kg) for all or part of pregnancy. The ewes consuming the low-Zn diet consumed 25% less feed than those given the adequate-Zn diet during the last 115 d of pregnancy. Zn concentration in the plasma of Zn-deficient pregnant ewes declined from 0.7 to 0.3 mg/l. The lambs born to Zn-deficient ewes weighed less and had reduced concentrations of Zn or less total Zn, or both, in the whole carcass, liver and pancreas. A reduction in activity of alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) in the liver and a slight reduction in thymidine kinase (EC 2.7.1.21) activity in the thymus was also observed in Zn-deficient lambs. The Zn-deficient ewes deposited approximately 63 mg Zn into each single-born lamb; this indicates that during the last third of pregnancy the developing foetuses were accumulating the equivalent of 35% of the total dietary Zn intake of the ewes.
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight; D001835:Body Weight; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D012756:Sheep / Q000378:metabolism*; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism
D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D015032:Zinc