THE EFFECT OF NUTRITION SUPPLEMENTATION DURING THE ANNUAL DRY GRASS SEASON ON TOOTH WEAR IN INDUSTRY-FLUOROSED GOATS

The effect of nutrition on the on the teeth of goats consuming industr ial fluoride-contaminated grass during the dry grass season was studie d in three groups of ten goats each, pastured in the same area of fluo ride pollution. The control group diet was not supplemented. The goats in the two treatment groups were supplemented either 100 g of mixed f eed containing corn, wheat bran, CaCO3 and trace of CuSO4 (Ca:P=1.5:1) or 100 g of soybean meal per goat per day for six months of the first annual dry grass season. The results show that tooth wear decreased w ith increased protein supplementation. The heights of the first pairs of incisors, developed during the feed supplementation period and meas ured after a succeeding six month green grass season, were: 6.2+/-0.8 mm (control), 8.9+/-2.0 mm (mixed feed) and 11.1+/-1.3 mm (soybean), r espectively, This paper discusses the relationship between nutrition a nd tooth wear.