The Function and Deficiency Indicators for Important Minerals in Animal Nutrition
Minerals play important roles in physiological, structural and regulatory functions within the animal body. The term ‘essential mineral’ is used in reference to a mineral that has been proven to have a metabolic role in the animal body. The nutritionally important essential minerals are further divided into macro-minerals and trace-minerals. Macro-minerals are those that are present in larger amounts in the body or are required in larger amounts in the diet. Micro-minerals are often referred to as trace minerals and are present in low levels in the body or are required in smaller quantities in the diet.
Mineral nutrition is quite complex as the minerals interact with each other in the animal body. These interactions can result in mineral elements ‘tying up’ or making other mineral elements unavailable for essential body functions.
The following table shows the function and deficiency indicators for some of the minerals that are of concern in animal nutrition.
Macro-Minerals
Skeletal growth
Teeth formation
Transmission of nerve impulses
Muscle contraction
Enzyme activation
Controls heartbeat
Blood clotting
Hormone secretion
Osteomalacia
Rickets
Milk fever (hypocalcaemia)
Reduced and depraved appetite
Weight loss
Growth retardation
Reduced fertility
Bone demineralisation (Big Head in horses)
Involved in almost all metabolic reactions
Bone and tooth formation and maintenance
Enzyme formation
Amino acid, carbohydrate and fat metabolism
Involved in sugar digestion and energy production
Muscle building
Genetic transmission
Acid base balance
Depraved appetite (bone chewing)
Weakness
Demineralisation of bone
Poor appetite, growth and feed conversion
Loss of calcium
Reduced fertility (failure to show oestrus
Low conception rates), Reproductive failure
Dull, dry hair/coats
Disturbance of energy metabolism
Reduced milk yield
Formation of amino acids
Detoxifier
Important for the manufacture of microbial protein
Involved with carbohydrate metabolism
Involved in connective tissue
Involved with energy metabolism
Part of haemoglobin
Part of energy regulation
Related to protein deficiency
Slow growth
Reduced feed intake, digestibility and microbial protein synthesis
Poor wool growth
Wool and hair shedding
Weakness
Required for growth, repair of body tissues
Bone and teeth integrity
Fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism
Enzyme activation
Neuromuscular activity
Cell respiration
Involved in hormonal activity
Relaxes nerve impulses
Increases rumen pH and can help increase milk yield and butterfats
Elevated levels can improve marbling score in cattle fed a fat supplemented diet.
Grass Tetany (Hypomagnesaemia)
Hyper-irritability
Retarded growth
Convulsions
Reduced feed intake
Anorexia
Muscular incoordination
Excessive calcification of bone and fat tissue
Osmotic balance
Electrolyte essential for acid-base balance
Muscle/cell formation
Transmission of nerve impulses
Necessary for muscle and heart contraction
Essential for nutrient transfer to cells and removal of waste
Necessary for absorption and metabolism of sugars and amino acids
Involved in appetite
Involved in body water regulation
Enables more efficient utilisation of digested protein and energy
Poor feed conversion
Reduced reproductive efficiency
Loss of appetite and weight loss
Ill thrift
Rough coat and lack lustre eyes
Reduced water intake
Skin dehydration
Incoordination of muscles and collapse
Maintain osmotic pressure and body fluid balance
Acid-base balance
Regulation of water balance
Involved in respiration and regulation of blood pH
Involved in producing gastric juice and stomach pH
Found in large concentrations within and without the cells of body tissues
Activation of enzymes
Suppresses microbial growth, acidic diets encourage Ca absorption
Alkalosis resulting in slow shallow breathing
Muscle cramps
Reduced food intake
Dehydration
Lower milk production
Poor growth
Convulsions
Nerve and muscular function
Digestion of food
Fluid transport
Osmotic balance
Hormone release
Embryonic development
Acid-base balance
Enzyme activation
Important for transportation of oxygen and carbon dioxide by the blood
Protein synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism
Energy production, normal heart activity, required by bacteria
Water balance
Reduced appetite
Reduced growth
Dehydration
Muscle weakness
Nervous disorders
Cardiac weakness
Diarrhoea (common cause of deficiency)
Trace Minerals
Co-factor in over 200 enzymes in metabolism
Essential for skin, bone, cartilage, hoof, hair and feathers
Essential role in the immune system
Involved in the production, storage and secretion of individual hormones
Affects growth, development, reproduction, bone and blood formation
Essential for the development and functioning of reproductive organs
Involved in wound healing
Reduced growth rate and poor skin condition
Poor appetite
Bone problems
Poor wound healing
Poor testicular development
Impairs sexual function
Poor hair and wool formation
Emaciation
Affects the immune system
Impairment of glucose tolerance
Deranged electrolyte balance
Required for development and maintenance of skeletal and vascular systems
Needed for blood haemoglobin and myoglobin synthesis
Component of or essential in the activity of many enzymes
Involved in the body’s oxygen metabolism
Important for proper cardiac function and immune system
Required for pigmentation of hair, feather and wool
A key component of keratinisation of hair, wool and feathers
Needed for the structure and function in the central nervous system
Anaemia
Poor growth
Reproductive impairment
Reduced protein synthesis
Lameness, swelling of joints
Depigmentation of hair and wool
Diarrhoea
Weak, broken bones
Nerve disorders
Cardiovascular disorders
Abnormal appetite
Keratinisation failure in hair, fur and wool
Abnormal skeletal development
An essential component of thyroid hormones which regulate the metabolic rate
Production of various body enzymes, e.g. in respiratory system, phosphorylation, oxidation and protein synthesis
Helps regulate basal metabolic rate
Required for growth by some rumen microflora
Goitre (swelling of the neck from enlargement of thyroid gland)
Reduced growth rate
Reduced metabolic rate
Dry skin and harsh, brittle hair
Weak, dead or hairless newborns
In growing animals a shortening of leg bones
Acts as an anti-oxidant to prevent polyunsaturated fatty acid oxidation to toxic radicals that damage muscle and cell membranes
Is part of an enzyme that regulate thyroxine hormone activity
Plays a role in resistance to viral infection
Protects some tissues from poisonous substances (arsenic, cadmium, silver and mercury)
Important for reproduction, growth, and protects muscles from degeneration
Involved in liver function
Necessary for the repair of DNA
Aids in retention of Vitamin E in blood plasma
Poor muscle development and pale, weak muscles (White Muscle Disease)
Nutritional muscular dystrophy (NMD)
Myocardial disease
Reproductive disorders
Reduced disease resistance and immune response
Poor growth and feed utilisation
Essential for the functioning of brain and nervous systems
Enzyme activator
Maintains bone mineralisation
Maintains normal central nervous system function
Involved in carbohydrate, protein, nucleic acid and fat metabolism Involved in formation of chondroitin sulphate in cartilage and joints
Needed for blood clotting
Involved in cholesterol synthesis and insulin activity
Enables the body to use thiamine (B1) and Vitamin E
Poor growth
Skeletal abnormalities
Reproductive failure
Impaired fat and carbohydrate metabolism
Nervous disorders
Affects membrane integrity
Shortening and bowing of joints
Reduced Vitamin K-induced clotting response
Incorporated into haemoglobin, muscle myoglobin, storage forms and muscle oxidative enzymes
Cellular respiration
Metabolism
Activation of oxygen and electron transport
Immune system
Anaemia (low red blood cell count)
Paleness of mucous membranes Changes to skin and hair condition
Fatigue and lack of stamina
Laboured breathing
Diarrhoea
Poor growth
Reduced appetite
Increased susceptibility to disease
Involved in growth and skeletal development
Important for connective tissue development
Incorporated into joint cartilage
Essential for bone formation and collagen synthesis
May be a factor in the immune system
Reduced growth rate
Affects bone formation
Reduced cartilage and collagen strength
Hair loss
Involved in enzyme reactions
Important for immune response
Maintains nervous system integrity
Incorporated into the structure of Vitamin B12, which is involved in haemoglobin formation and metabolism
Pining (emaciation, anaemia, listlessness, rough coat, poor appetite)
Ill-thrift
Reduced conception rates
Abortion
Rough hair and scaliness of the skin
Increased susceptibility to infection and parasitic burdens
Poor mucous membranes
Loss of appetite and retarded growth
Fatty degeneration of the liver
Involved in carbohydrate metabolism and activity of insulin hormone
Stimulates insulin activity glucose uptake by organs and muscle
Involved in nucleic acid metabolism and therefore protein synthesis
Stimulates fatty acid and cholesterol production in the liver
Affects glucose metabolism with high blood sugar and the loss of sugar in the urine
Affects protein and lipid metabolism
Affects insulin output and activity
Protein synthesis is indirectly affected by chromium
Mineral stasis
May have an effect on some vitamins, bone structure & regulation of parathyroid hormone.
Low Ca and Mg retention
Reduced growth
Impaired immune function
Poor conception
Plays a role in protein synthesis and oxidation reactions
Helps in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates
Involved in DNA metabolism
A component in the enamel on teeth
Reduced feed intake and growth
Impaired reproduction
Elevated mortality in mothers and offspring
Most often related to Cu and S excess
Ewing, W. a. (2005). The Minerals Directory. Leicestershire: Context.
Hungerford, T. (1990). Ninth Edition Diseases of Livestock. Sydney: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Kohnke, J. K.-J. (1999). Feeding Horses in Australia. Barton: Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.
