Journal of Animal Science, Vol 75, Issue 6 1569-1574, Copyright © 1997 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Effect of folic acid supplementation on folate status and formate oxidation rate in mink (Mustela vision)

I. J. Polonen, L. T. Vahteristo and E. J. Tanhuanpaa
Department of Animal Science, University of Helsinki, Viikki, Finland.

We investigated the folate-dependent toxicity of formate to mink to better understand the use of formic acid in fur animal feeds. Folic acid supplementation (0, 1, 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg of DM) in the feed of weanling mink for 4 wk resulted in hepatic tetrahydrofolate (H4folate) concentrations of 3.94, 8.51, 9.15, 10.4, and 15.0 nmol/g, respectively (SE 1.03). Oxidation tests in metabolic chambers, preceeding a single injection of sodium [14C]formate (500 mg/kg BW), showed that the nonsupplemented mink oxidized formate into CO2 at a rate 37% less than that of the supplemented mink. The oxidation rate increased with supplementation level and was maximal, 54.2 mEq.kg1.h1 (SE 3.0), at 10 mg of folate/kg; at the highest level of supplementation (20 mg/kg), CO2 production tended to be lower. Concentration of hepatic 14C increased with the hepatic H4folate, and its accumulation continued after the highest point of oxidation. These observations indicate that mink oxidize formate readily but at a slightly lower rate than do rats. However, if extra folate is not supplemented in the feed during the period of early intensive growth, hepatic H4folate level may decline to the levels found in humans and monkeys, which are susceptible to formate accumulation. Average daily weight gain improved with each increase in supplementation of folic acid; however, only the differences between the nonsupplemented diet and the two highest levels of the vitamin reached statistical significance (P < .05).