Dw. Kennedy et al., RUMINAL DISTRIBUTION OF ZINC IN STEERS FED A POLYSACCHARIDE-ZINC COMPLEX OF ZINC-OXIDE, Journal of animal science, 71(5), 1993, pp. 1281-1287
Six Holstein steers (initial BW 335 kg) were used in a replicated 3 x
3 Latin square design to study the distribution of Zn in ruminal conte
nts from a conventional Zn source (ZnO) or Zn sequestered to a polysac
charide (PC-Zn). Treatments consisted of a basal diet (no Zn supplemen
tation) and the basal diet supplemented with Zn from either PCZn or Zn
O. Steers were provided with 208, 920, or 896 mg of Zn/d from basal, P
C-Zn, or ZnO, respectively. On collection day, steers were dosed with
800 mg of Zn from each Zn supplement and whole ruminal contents (WRC)
were sampled at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h postdosing. The cell-free (soluble
) Zn concentrations in steers fed the PC-Zn or ZnO supplements decreas
ed (P < .05) rapidly after dosing. Mean Zn concentrations of the cell-
free fraction were considerably lower than either microbial or particl
e fractions of WRC. Compared with ZnO, the PC-Zn source resulted in hi
gher (P < .05) cell-free Zn at 1 and 2 h after dosing and higher (P <
.05) Zn concentrations (micrograms/gram of DM) in the fluid- and parti
cle-associated microbial and particle fractions. Compared with basal,
fluid-associated microbial DM concentration tended to be higher (P < .
10) at 6 and 8 h with PC-Zn and ZnO. Results indicate a rapid disappea
rance of Zn from the soluble fraction and a high concentration of Zn i
n the DM of the microbial and particle fractions of WRC. Furthermore,
PC-Zn resulted in higher levels of Zn in all fractions of WRC, and Zn
supplementation tended to increase microbial DM production at later sa
mpling times.