Effect of Supplemental Zinc on Growth and on Hair and Blood Serum Levels of Beef Cattle

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Abstract
In a series of seven growing beef cattle experiments, zinc as zinc oxide was added at varying levels (0 to 620 mg per kilogram) to basal diets containing approximately 20 mg per kilogram (16.7 ±2.8 to 20.9 ±1.7 mg per kilogram) to study the effect of such supplementation on growth rate, feed consumption, efficiency of feed conversion and levels in blood serum and hair. In only one experiment did supplemental zinc (75 mg/kg) cause a significant increase (P<.05) in gain. In two other experiments, there were nonsignificant trends (P<.10) toward increased gains due to supplemental zinc (150 mg/kg, Experiment IV; 20, 40, 60 or 80 mg/kg, Experiment V; 10 or 30 mg/kg, Experiment VI); and in Experiment VII, there was a nonsignificant trend toward growth depression due to a supplemental level of 620 mg/kg of supplemental zinc. The effect of supplemental dietary zinc on blood zinc and hair zinc levels was inconsistent. Supplemental zinc had virtually no effect on blood serum levels of zinc except when the dietary level was extremely high (300 or 620 mg/kg, Experiment VII). Copyright © 1977. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1977 by American Society of Animal Science.