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Cobalt Deficiency in New York State

Cornell University and U. S. Plant Soils and Nutrition Laboratory

Abstract

Feeding trials with lambs have clearly shown that New York State contains areas that are deficient in cobalt.

Lambs fed a low-cobalt ration developed a deficiency of this element in 4–7 months characterized by loss of appetite, loss of weight, a simple anemia and death. Cobalt salts given to cobalt-deficient lambs by mouth resulted in a return of appetite within about a week. This was quickly followed by increased weight gains. Hemoglobin levels started to rise sometime later, about six weeks.

Cobalt salts injected into cobalt-deficient lambs were completely ineffective in altering the course of the deficiency.

As compared to cobalt-fed lambs, cobalt-deficient lambs showed a slightly lower concentration of blood plasma proteins; a slightly lower blood plasma calcium concentration; a lower blood plasma alkaline phosphatase activity and about the same blood plasma inorganic phosphorus concentration.

Autopsy and microscopic tissue studies showed that cobalt-deficient lambs had fatty degeneration of the livers and a marked hemosiderosis of the spleens.