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Fluoride Intake of Cattle Grazing Fluoride-Contaminated Forage, as Determined by Esophageal-Fistulated Steers^{1, 2,}

University of Tennessee, Knoxville 37916^,5

Abstract

Four esophageal-fistulated Hereford steers were used at monthly intervals during the grazing seasons of 3 years to determine the fluoride (F) intake of cattle grazing forages grown on high-fluoride soils (400 to 3,700 ppm). F content of forage samples collected by the steers and obtained through the fistulas was adjusted for F losses due to salivary leaching and compared to the F content of randomly-clipped (available) forage samples. The F content of forage samples collected through esophageal fistulas and adjusted for salivary leaching (termed "selected forage samples") was significantly (P < .05) higher than that of available forage samples. The effects of soil-F content, plant height, season, year and animal variation on the F content of selected forage were also studied. F content of selected forage (ranging from 35 to 145 ppm) was significantly (P< .001) affected by soil F content. A curvilinear relationship existed, wherein F content of the selected forage tended to increase with increasing soil F content until the soil F level reached approximately 2,200 ppm at which point no further increase in the F content of the forage was observed. Plant height exerted a significant (P < .001) effect on the F content of the forage. Within the range of plant heights studied (2 to 15 cm), F content of forage increased 7.5 ppm for each centimeter decrease in plant height. F content of selected forage was significantly (P< .001) different among seasons. In the winter and spring, the steers consumed forages with considerably higher F content (192, 122 ppm) than in the summer and autumn (86, 77 ppm). There were significant (P< .01) differences in selected forage F content among years. A significant (P< .05) difference between F content of forage samples collected by individual steers was observed.

¹ Published with the permission of the Dean of the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station.

² This study was supported in part by grants from Monsanto Chemical Company, Stauffer Chemical Company and Hooker Chemical Company.

³ Present address: Geigy Agricultural Chemicals, Charlotte, N.C.

⁴ The authors are grateful to Dr. G. M. Merriman for performing the fistulation operations and to M. E. Fryer for technical assistance.

⁵ Department of Animal Science.