Quantities of zinc, copper, manganese and iron associated with
body weight gain and wool growth of young sheep
N.D. Grace
Applied Biochemistry Division, DSIR, Palmerston North
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1983, 43: 127- 130
Fifty New Zealand Romney lambs (25 wethers and 25 ewes) grazing
a ryegrass/white clover pasture from weaning, were used to study the
distribution of zinc, copper, manganese and iron among the various
organs and tissues and the amounts associated with a kilogram gain in
fleece-free empty body weight. Each kilogram gain in fleece-free empty
body weight was associated with 24 mg Zn, 0.77 mg Cu, 0.47 mg Mn and 55
mg Fe, while a kilogram of clean wool contained 220 mg Zn, 7 mg Cu, 3.5
mg Mn and 23 mg Fe.
Thus for a young sheep gaining 100g of fleece-free empty body weight/d
maintaining a mean wool growth of 10 g/d the daily demands for Zn, Cu
and Mn for growth (2.4 mg Zn; 0.08 mg Cu; 0.05 mg Mn) and wool
production (2.2 mg Zn; 0.07 mg Cu; 0.035 mg Mn) were found to be
similar.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Sheep; fleece-free empty body weight; wool; zinc; copper;
manganese; iron
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Last Updated 03-05-1997
