14 Deficiency of trace elements

1. Deficiency of trace
elements
Karima Al Salihi

2. Iron deficiency
•Iron plays a vital role in the normal
functioning of animal life.
•70% of body iron remains as functional iron
mainly as hemoglobin, myoglobin, etc.
•Natural feed stuffs contain enough iron to meet
the functional activity of animal’s life.
•Iron content of milk is very poor in amount so
that if calf is maintained on whole milk for a long
period is likely to suffer from anaemia.

3. Causes
(1) Less content of iron in the feed or defect in
absorption or utilization.
(2) Excessive loss through excretion.
(3) High demand of it.
(4) Blood sucking parasites cause heavy
drainage of iron.
Calves, lambs and kids suffer from anemia,
mostly from endoparasites which
characterized by bottle jaw in severe anemia.
(5) Copper deficiency blocks iron utilization.
(6) Low folic acid level.

4. Symptoms
(1) Paleness of mucosa, skin and
face due to presence of microcytic
hypochromic anemia.
(2) Severe dyspnea.
(3) Edema of head and fore
quarters.

5. Diagnosis
(1) History of diets, management and
clinical findings.
(2) Hematological examination:
1) Reduction in Hb level and RBC count.
2) RBC shows morphological changes
characterized by anisocytosis,
poikilocytosis and reticulocytosis.
3) Subnormal serum iron level (170-300
pg % or less).

6. Treatment
(1) Remove the real cause.
(2) Oral ferrous sulphate with 4 ml of 1.8 %
solution.
(3) Hematinic mixture containing ferriet
ammon citrate 1.2 gm; copper sulphate 60
mg; cobalt sulphate 15 mg and water. Oral
dosing of 15 to 30 ml 3 time daily for cattle
and horse.
(4) Parenteral iron preparation e.g. Imferon 2
to 10 ml, IM, at alternate day till complete
recovery.