J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1968. 27:807-813.
© 1968 American Society of Animal Science
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Maternal-Fetal Utilization of Zinc by Sheep1

Sam L. Hansard2 and A. S. Mohammed

Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Abstract

Twenty-one native, first lamb, gravid ewes maintained on conventional corn, soybean meal, cottonseed hull rations were killed at 45, 95 and 140 days gestation after 7-day blood-balance studies following oral or intravenous Zn65 administration. Ewes consuming rations containing 30 ppm zinc absorbed 13% and transferred less than 10 mg. total zinc to the fetus during the first 95 days. Fetal zinc levels increased 90 times between trimester 1 and 2 and at 140 days reached 68 mg. zinc and 7.1% of the retained Zn65 dose. Total and radiozinc were highest in liver and increased in all tissues of dam fetus with advancing pregnancy. Fetal liver and bone Zn65 exceeded that of the dam, and total maternal-fetal .Zn65 ratios at 140 days averaged 2.0 for soft tissues and 0.5 for selected bones. Values reflected either slow zinc movement or a rapid zinc turnover in fetal soft tissues. Calculated partition of radiozinc in third trimester ewes and their products of conception indicated that 86.5% absorbed Zn65 was retained by the dam and by difference 13.5% was transferred and deposited in the total fetus (52.5%), placenta (47.4%) and fluids (0.1%), 168 hr. after dose administration. Absorption and utilization values, employed as efficiency co-efficients, may well provide estimates of maternal dietary zinc requirements for prenatal nutrition.

Footnotes

1 Published with the approval of the Director, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station,Baton Rouge. Grateful appreciation is expressed to Julia E. Klawinski, Sharon Nicholson and Lynne Pizzuto for technical assistance and to the National Science Foundation (Contract GE 6602) for partial support of this study.

2 Present address: Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.






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