Abstract
A two-year study was conducted at the University of Florida – IFAS, Range Cattle Research and Education Center (Ona, FL) to evaluate differences in the metabolism of Cu and Se of Angus (Bos taurus) and Brahman (Bos indicus) cattle. Thirty-two pregnant beef cows (n = 8 Brahman and 8 Angus/year) were enrolled in the study in the first trimester of gestation. The study consisted of 3 phases: (1) restriction (d 0 to d 90); (2) supplementation (d 91 to 150), and (3) calving. During all 3 phases, cows were individually fed and housed in partially covered drylot pens. During the restriction and supplementation phases cows were provided a 1.5 kg/d of a grain-based concentrate supplement, which was fortified with flowers of S (50 g of supplemental S/cow daily; restriction phase) or Cu and Se (100 and 3 mg/d of Cu and Se, respectively; supplementation phase). Blood and liver samples were collected from all cows on 30 d intervals and from both cows and calves within 24 h of calving. Colostrum and milk samples were collected at calving and 7 d after birth. All data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS, where cow and calf were the experimental unit. During the restriction phase, a breed × day effect (P = 0.03) was observed where Brahman had greater liver Cu concentration than Angus cows in all sampling days. For liver Se concentration, a tendency (P = 0.07) for a breed effect was observed where Angus cows tended to have greater liver Se concentration than Brahman. During the supplementation phase, breed (P < 0.001) and day (P < 0.01) effects were observed, where Brahman cows had greater liver Cu concentration than Angus. For liver Se concentration, a day effect (P < 0.001) was observed, where liver Se concentration increased (P < 0.001) from d 90 to 120 and remained unchanged (P = 0.86) until d 150. At calving no effects of breed (P = 0.34) were observed for liver Cu concentration of cows, however, Brahman calves tended (P = 0.09) to have greater liver Cu concentration than Angus calves. For Se liver concentration at calving, Angus cows tended (P = 0.07) to have greater liver Se concentration than Brahman cows, however no breed differences (P = 0.70) were observed for liver Se concentration of calves at birth. In summary substantial differences in multiple indicators of Cu and Se status were observed between Angus and Brahman cattle, implying that Angus and Brahman cattle possibly have different mechanisms to maintain adequate Cu and Se status.
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