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Plasma Phosphorus and Blood Hemoglobin Concentrations in Unsupplemented Range Cattle¹

University of Arizona, Tucson

Abstract

Hemoglobin and plasma phosphorus concentrations were determined from unselected bull and heifer progeny of a registered Hereford herd. The herd was maintained under semiarid range conditions without supplementation. The progeny were sampled at mean ages of 235, 340, 600 and 710 days.

Female progeny consistently had higher concentrations of hemoglobin at all sampling periods than males. Hemoglobin concentration was higher at weaning than at any subsequent period for both sexes. Heritability estimates were generally in the low range but were larger following periods of improved nutrition. Simple correlations among hemoglobin concentrations at the four ages were low and show little relationship among periods. Simple correlations indicate no consistent association of hemoglobin concentration and growth traits.

Plasma phosphorus concentrations were very similar between the two sexes. The concentrations were higher at 235 and 340 days of age than at the later periods. The phosphorus plasma concentrations are highly subject to various environmental influences as indicated by the low heritability estimates and lack of correlation of phosphorus levels among the various sampling periods.

Simple correlations of plasma level with growth traits were very low, indicating that the plasma levels were adequate to meet the growth needs of the animals.

¹ Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Paper No. 1299. This study was conducted in cooperation with the U.S.D.A. under Western Regional Project W-1.

² A portion of the data was taken from a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of Arizona, Tucson.

³ Present address: U. S. Range Livestock Experiment Station, Miles City, Montana.