Effect of Dietary Nickel Level on Excretion and Nickel Content of Tissues in Male Calves

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Tissue distribution and excretion of nickel were determined for 12 male Holstein calves fed supplemental dietary nickel as nickelous carbonate (NiCO3) at 0.0, 62.5, 250.0 and 1,000.0 ppm of the total diet. Feed intake and rate of gain were greatly reduced at a dietary Ni level of 1,000 ppm. The average daily supplemental Ni intake was 0.4, 1.3 and 1.6 g for the 62.5, 250 and 1,000 ppm Ni treatments, respectively. Tissue Ni content did not differ statistically among the first 3 treatments but at 1,000 ppm Ni, a highly significant (P<.01) increase in Ni content was found in many tissues. Tissues from animals on 1,000 ppm Ni supplementation accumulated Ni in the following order: serum>kidney>vitreous humor>lung>testis>bile>tongue>pancreas>rib>spleen>brain while liver and heart Ni levels did not differ statistically at any treatment level. Of the total Ni excreted, 97.3, 98.1 and 95.8% appeared, respectively, in the feces of the calves receiving the 62.5, 250 and 1,000 ppm treatments. One thousand ppm Ni in the diet appeared to overcome any existing homeostatic control mechanism even though the total daily Ni intake at this level was not greatly different from that on the 250 ppm level.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: