High Dietary Cadmium on Zinc Absorption and Metabolism in Calves Fed for Comparable Nitrogen Balances 1

Abstract

Summary

Intact male Holstein calves were fed a purified diet (8.5 ppm Zn) with and without 350 ppm Cd in amounts to provide approximately equal nitrogen balances. The added Cd reduced ⁶⁵Zn absorption, showing that the earlier established effect on Zn absorption was not due to the indirect influence on feed intake and nitrogen balance. Whether the Cd effect was caused by changes at the tissue or intestine level was not established. However, Cd had a major influence on ⁶⁵Zn metabolism after absorption, as indicated by a differential influence on ⁶⁵Zn in several tissues.

The authors thank Mr. M. S. Ansari, Mr. L. O. Branch, Mr. J. D. Brown, Mr. J. C. Carter, Jr., and Miss Beverly Purswell for technical assistance, and Mrs. Shirley Gentry for editorial assistance.