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An Assessment of the Performance of a New Formulation of Soluble Phosphate Glass Bolus on the Copper and Selenium Status of Scottish-Blackface Ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2017

P.M. Driver
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, The University of Leeds, LEEDS, UK, LS2 9JT
S.B. Telfer
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, The University of Leeds, LEEDS, UK, LS2 9JT
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Extract

Soluble, phosphate glass boluses containing copper, cobalt and selenium have proved successful in elevating and maintaining blood levels of these trace minerals in sheep (Driver et al, 1985 & 1986). In 1983 these boluses were marketed as the trace mineral supplement COSECURE. Recently trials with glasses of various solubilities were carried out and one formulation (Code EX) proved superior to all glasses tested to date (Driver et al, 1988). Last year the performance of this more soluble glass was compared with that of the commercial product, COSECURE, on a site which in previous years had shown severe copper deficiency.

On day 0 (22 October), 20 Scottish-Blackface ewes each received one new (EX) bolus, another 20 received COSECURE boluses and a further 15 were left as untreated controls. Blood samples were taken at intervals over the following 330 days and assayed for plasma copper and serum caeruloplasmin for copper status and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) as a measure of selenium status. Boluses were recovered from culled ewes at 341 days after bolusing. The results were analysed by an analysis of variance.

Type
Sheep Production and Nutrition
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1988

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References

Driver, P.M., Kidger, M., Anderson, P.J., Carlos, G., Illingworth, D.A. & Telfer, S.B. (1985). An Investigation into the copper, vitamin B12 and selenium status of winter housed ewes following treatment with soluble glass boluses. Animal Production. 40. p566567.Google Scholar
Driver, P.M., Eames, C. & Telfer, S.B. (1986). The efficacy of soluble glass. boluses containing copper, cobalt and selenium in store lambs. Proc. Vith Int. Conf. on Production Diseases in Farm Animals; Belfast. p108111.Google Scholar
Driver, P.M., Eames, C. & Telfer, S.B. (1988). The effects of differing compositions of soluble phosphate glass boluses on the copper, cobalt and selenium status of swaledale ewes. In Trace Elements in Man and Animals — 6. Asilomar. In Press.Google Scholar