Increased tolerance to annual ryegrass toxicity in sheep given a supplement of cobalt.
To determine whether oral cobalt supplements could modify the clinical onset of annual ryegrass toxicity, groups (n = 5) of sheep were dosed orally with 0, 4 or 16 mg cobalt/day. After 3 weeks on this treatment, toxic ryegrass seed was added to their feed to provide 0, 0.15 and 0.30 mg corynetoxins/kg body weight, daily. Sheep receiving cobalt ingested 30% more toxin than did unsupplemented sheep before clinical signs developed (P = 0.03). There was no significant difference between groups receiving 4 and 16 mg cobalt. The results showed that cobalt delayed, but did not prevent, the onset of clinical signs of annual ryegrass toxicity.
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Western Australia, Nedlands.
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Davies
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White
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Williams
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D003035:Cobalt / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000506:poisoning*; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D008129:Lolium; D008297:Male; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D012639:Seeds; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000506:poisoning; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
D006017:Glycolipids; D014118:Toxins, Biological; C034696:corynetoxins; D003035:Cobalt; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D014805:Vitamin B 12