Kale Anaemia in Ruminants

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Abstract
After a review of the literature the report of a trial with 30 dairy cows is presented. The cows were divided into 3 groups of 10; 1 group functioned as control (A), 1 had free access to marrow-stem kale (B), and the animals of the 3rd received 10 kg marrow-stem kale daily (C). The trial period lasted about 6 weeks. Blood samples from all animals were taken before the trial began, twice in the course of the experiment, and 3 weeks after its termination. Estimations were made for haemoglobin, haematocrit, the erythrocyte in vitro uptake of I131-triiodothyronine, total protein and protein fractions, serum calcium, inorganic phosphorus and magnesium, as well as for the serum activity of glutamic-oxalacetic acid transaminase (GOT) and ornithine-carbamyl-transferase (OCT). During the trial period differences between groups A and B existed only in haemoglobin and haematocrit, the experimental animals having significantly lower values. The erythrocyte in vitro uptake of triiodothyronine demonstrated a tendency towards lower values in both experimental groups. Other blood values varied between different samples but not between groups. Special mention is made of the total protein value which was substantially lower for the 2nd sample than for the others. This may have been associated with the change from pasture to stall feeding which occurred at the beginning of the trial.