1MineralsSung Woo KimNorth Carolina State UniversityMinerals• Minerals are inorganic compounds that animals require in very small amounts.• Constitute only 3-5% of the animal body.• At least 22 minerals are required by animals.• Minerals can be classified as either – Macrominerals: present in body tissues at levels more than 400 mg/kg– Microminerals: present in body tissues at levels less than 50 mg/kgMacrominerals• There are 7 macrominerals (found more than 400 mg/kg BW)– Calcium (Ca)– Chlorine (Cl)– Magnesium (Mg)– Phosphorus (P)– Potassium (K)– Sodium (Na)– Sulfur (S)2Microminerals• At least 20 microminerals– Boron (B)– Iron (Fe) - Silicon (Si)– Manganese (Mn) - Molybdenum (Mo)– Chromium (Cr) - Selenium (Se)– Cobalt (Co) - Copper (Cu)– Iodine (I) - Zinc (Zn)• Only small amounts (less than 50 mg/kg BW) are needed for normal function of the bodyMacromineralsCa, P, Mg% in fresh tissueCa P MgWhole body 1.98 1.06 0.05Fat-free body 2.07 1.11 0.05Bone ash 40 19 0.73CalciumCalcium: tissue distribution• Structural component: 99%– Bone and teeth formation– It occurs in about a 2:1 ratio with P in bone• Metabolic activity: 1% – Blood coagulation– Muscle contraction– Intracellular secondary messengerCalcium: function• Bone and teeth formation with vit-D• Blood clotting process with vit-K– Prothrombin to thrombin• Enzyme activator– Enzymes in glycolysis, glycogen synthesis• Nerve and muscle function– Triggering impulses in nerve cells• Intracellular secondary messenger• Milk and egg production4Calcium: deficiency• Most of animal feeds need supplemental calcium sources to meet the requirement. • Without calcium supplementation, it is most likely deficient to support the growth or production.Calcium: deficiency• RicketsCalcium: deficiency• Rickets– Only occurs in young growing animals – Continued growth of the organic matrix with insufficient mineralization resulting in soft and light bone– Muscles continue to growth and their pressure on the soft bone causing bending of the bone5Calcium: deficiency• Osteoporosis– Occurs in adult animals on a Ca deficient diet– Decrease both in the mineralization and organic matrix of bone– Increased Ca in diet will stop to progress but will not cure the damageCalcium: deficiency• Milk fever (hypocalcemia) – Occurs within 72 hours after calving (mostly within the first 24 hours)– Occurs to high producing dairy cows – Blood Ca only 50% of the normal level (5-6 mg/mL) and bone CANNOT release Ca fast enough to meet the elevated Ca demands for milk production– Loss of appetite, followed by muscle weakness and paralysis of hind legs. Cow collapses into coma and dies. (functional problems with muscle and nerves)Calcium: deficiency• Prevention of milk fever– Feed low Ca diet near (before) parturition– Give oral Ca gel or paste upon parturition– Feed diets with high anionic salts to cause acidosis: MgSO4, MgCl2, NH4Cl, (NH4)2SO4(to cause the release of Ca from bone)– Administration of vit D• Treatment– IV Ca gluconate infusion.6Calcium: toxicity• High Ca intake is not real toxic• The effect is more severe when the Ca:P ratio is wide. • Depress appetite and growth rate. • Constipation• Decrease P and Zn bioavailabilityCalcium: source• Ground limestone: 39% Ca• Oystershell flour: 33% Ca• Marble dust• Steamed meat & bone meal: 5-7.5% Ca• Defluorinated phosphate– Tri-calcium phosphate: 34% Ca– Di-calcium phosphate: 22% Ca– Mono-calcium phosphate: 16.5% CaPhosphorus7Phosphorus: tissue distribution• 85% is in the skeleton– Bone ash contains about 18% P• 15% is in metabolites– ATP, phospholipid, RNA, DNA, etcPhosphorus: function• Bone and teeth formation• Component of phospholipid that is important in lipid metabolism, and cell membrane structure• Function in energy metabolism as a component of AMP, ADP, ATP• Components of RNA and DNA• Constituent of several enzyme systems• Acid/base balancePhosphorus: deficiency• Rickets• Increased Ca excretion• Depressed appetite and growth retardation• Impaired fertility observed in cattle8Phosphorus: toxicity• Nutritional secondary hyperthyroidism causing Ca deficiency and interfere bone mineralization • Excessive bone re-absorption resulting lameness and spontaneous fractures of long bones• High P has a laxative effect and can cause diarrhea (cf. Ca toxicity: constipation)Phosphorus: source• Plant source P: mostly phytate-P and largely unavailable (inositol hexa/penta/tetra/tri-kisphosphate): use of phytase • Animal source P: highly available (Steamed meat & bone meal)• Defluorinated phosphate:– Dicalcium phosphate: 18.5% P (22% Ca)– Monocalcium phosphate: 21.5% P (16.5% Ca)Magnesium9Magnesium: tissue distribution• More than 60% is in skeleton: exist as a bone• 25-30% is in muscle• 7-8% is in other tissue and body fluidMagnesium: function• Required for normal skeletal development• Required in oxidative phosphorylation (synthesis of ATP) by mitochondria (energy metabolism)• Required in enzyme activation related to CHO and lipid metabolismMagnesium: deficiency• Dietary deficiency is not common but occurs in ruminants• Anorexia• Reduced weight gain• Hypomagnesemic tetany (grass tetany)– Nervousness, tremors, and twitching of facial muscles– Treatment: Mg gluconate injection (IV or SQ)10Magnesium: deficiencyCattle licking a mineral blockMagnesium: toxicity• Mg toxicity is not known to be a practical problem• Depressed feed intake• DiarrheaMagnesium: source• Cereal grains: 0.13 to 0.22%• Plant protein ingredients: 0.28 to 0.62%• Animal protein ingredients: 0.11 to 1.22%• Mg oxide (MgO) and Mg sulfate (MgSO4)are highly bioavailable source (higher than 50%)• Mg carbonate (MgCO3) is less bioavailable (about 40%)11Summary• Macrominerals– Ca: bone, blood clotting, vit D– P: bone, phospholipid, ATP, DNA, RNA, phytase (Ca:P=2:1 in bone)– Mg: bone, energy metabolism–Na/K/Cl–SSodium, potassium, and chlorineNa, K, Cl• These three minerals are considered together because they are major electrolytes in the body.(Electrolyte: a material containing free ions that can conduct an electrical current) • They play a vital role in maintaining osmotic pressure in the extracellular and intracellular fluids and also in maintaining acid-base balances12Na, K, Cl: tissue distribution•K+: 90% exists within cells