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.
Davies
S C
SC
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Western Australia, Nedlands.
White
C L
CL
Williams
I H
IH
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