title: Sulphur levels in saliva as an estimation of sulphur status in cattle: a validation study.
abstract: Effective assessment of sulphur (S) status in cattle is important for optimal health, yet remains difficult. Rumen fluid S concentrations are preferred, but difficult to sample under practical conditions. This study aimed to evaluate salivary S concentration as estimator of S status in cattle. Saliva and rumen fluid samples were collected from dairy cows (n = 16) as well as samples of different feedstuffs offered to the animals. The N and S concentrations were determined using the Dumas technique. The average dietary N and S content were calculated as well as N:S ratio of saliva, rumen fluid and diet. Salivary S concentrations could not predict rumen fluid or dietary S concentrations (p > 0.05). The log transformed salivary N:S ratio (x) could predict the rumen fluid N:S ratio (y) with a linear equation of y = 9.83 (±4.59) x + 0.39 (±4.56) (r = 0.497, p = 0.05), but left too much residual variation to serve as reliable predictor. Further research should investigate this relationship in the search for an S status estimator.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. veronique.dermauw@ugent.be
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dermauw
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Froidmont
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Boever
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vyverman
authors.forename: Ann-Eline
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Debeer
authors.forename: Geert P J
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Janssens
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013455:Sulfur / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013455:Sulfur