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Forty pregnant dairy goats were used in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments to evaluate the effects of prepartum supplementation of selenium (Se) and iodine (I) as slow-release boluses. The boluses were administered four weeks prior to the expected kidding time to supply daily amounts of (1) 0 mg Se and 0 mg I, (2) 0 mg Se and 0.40 mg I, (3) 0.25 mg Se and 0 mg I and (4) 0.25 mg Se and 0.4 mg I. Milk production, milk fat percentage, daily production of milk components, milk selenium and iodine concentrations were greater in goats received 0.25 mg Se/day than no supplemental Se (p

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the supplementation of a slow-release bolus of zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), and cobalt (Co) at late gestation (6 week prepartum) on performance and some blood metabolites of Mehraban ewes and their lambs until weaning. Seventy pregnant ewes, 6 weeks prior to expected lambing, were randomly divided into two groups (35 heads each) including (1) control group and (2) slow-release bolus group. Blood samples of ewes were obtained on day 10 prepartum and 45 and 90 days postpartum, and milk samples were collected on day 45. Blood samples of lambs were collected on days 10, 45, and 90. Body weight at birth and weaning and average daily gain were higher and percentage of mortality and white muscle disease rate were lower in lambs whose mothers were given a bolus (P

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of different sources of zinc (Zn) on blood metabolites and balances of some minerals in lambs. In the first part, 20 6-7-month-old lambs were randomly allotted to four treatments including (1) basal diet containing 22.47 mg Zn/kg DM without supplementary Zn (control), (2) basal diet + 40 mg Zn/kg DM as ZnSO4 (ZnSO4 40), (3) basal diet + 20 mg Zn/kg DM as Zn-proteinate (Zn-Pro 20), and (4) basal diet + 40 mg Zn/kg DM as Zn-proteinate (Zn-Pro 40). Blood samples were taken on days 0, 28, and 65 before morning feeding. In the second part, four lambs from each treatment were randomly transferred to metabolic cages to evaluate the effects of different sources of Zn on N, Zn, Fe, and Cu retentions. This trial consisted of 18 days, with the first 12 days as the adaptation period followed by 6 days of sample collection. The results of this study showed that the source of Zinc had no significant effect on the analyzed parameters. Average daily gain and feed efficiency were improved by Zn supplementation (P 0.05). Daily feed intake, plasma glucose, Fe and Cu concentrations, serum total antioxidant capacity, red blood cell count, packed cell volume, and hemoglobin concentration did not differ significantly between treatments (P 0.05). Plasma Zn concentration, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) activity, and white blood cell and lymphocyte count differed significantly between control and Zn-supplemented groups (P 0.05) as Zn supplementation improved these parameters. Nitrogen, Fe, and Cu retentions did not differ between treatments (P 0.05). Zinc retention showed a significant difference between control and Zn-supplemented groups (P 0.05), but there were no significant differences among the Zn-supplemented groups. The results of this study show that Zn supplementation improved performance and zinc retention in lambs. However, there were no significant differences between zinc sources used in this study.

Two trials were conducted in a 2×2+1 factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design to evaluate the effects of different sources of copper (Cu) on performance, plasma metabolites, nutrient digestibility and retention of some minerals in male lambs on a barley based diet. The first trial consisted of 25 lambs (6–7 months of age) which were randomly allotted to 5 treatments including, (1) basal diet (containing 8.6 mg Cu/kg DM; control) without supplementary Cu; (2) basal diet+10 mg Cu/kg DM as CuSO 4 (Cu–S 10); (3) basal diet+20 mg Cu/kg DM as CuSO 4 (Cu–S 20); (4) basal diet+10 mg Cu/kg DM as Cu-proteinate (Cu–P 10); and (5) basal diet+20 mg Cu/kg DM as Cu-proteinate (Cu–P 20). The basal diet consisted of 70% barley grain, 27% alfalfa hay and 3% soybean meal. Blood samples were taken via the jugular vein on 0, 7, 14, 28, 57, 65 and 84 d and analyzed for serum ceruloplasmin, total antioxidant capacity, red blood cell superoxide dismutase activity, erythrocyte count, packed cell volume, hemoglobin and plasma mineral concentrations. For the second trial, 4 lambs from each treatment were randomly selected and transferred to metabolic cages to evaluate the effects of different Cu sources on nutrient digestibility and Cu, zinc (Zn), and nitrogen (N) retentions. Copper source had a significant effect on ceruloplasmin concentration ( P P P >0.05). Total antioxidant capacity increased ( P P >0.05). No clinical signs of copper toxicity were observed in this study, although we speculate that the continuance of treatments would have produced copper toxicity and hence hemolytic anemia.

An experiment of 70 days was conducted on 20 male lambs (6–7 months of age) to determine the effects of Zn supplementation (ZnSo4 and Zn-proteinate) in a barley based diet on mineral profile, some serum and plasma metabolites and performance in lambs. Animals were randomly allotted to 4 treatments including;1) basal diet containing 22.47 mg Zn/kg DM, without supplementary Zn (control); 2) basal diet + 40 mg Zn/kg DM as ZnSO4 (ZnSO4 40); 3) basal diet + 20 mg Zn/kg DM as Zn-proteinate (Zn-Pro 20), and 4) basal diet + 40 mg Zn/kg DM as Zn-proteinate (Zn-Pro 40). The basal diet was provided according to NRC (2007) to meet or exceed lambs requirements except Zn. Blood samples were taken on days 28, 30, 65 and 70 before morning feeding. Daily feed intake, plasma Ca and Cu and beta-carotene concentration did not differ significantly between treatments. Plasma Zn concentration, serum vitamin A concentration, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity differed significantly between control and Zn supplemented groups (P