MUCOSAL UPTAKE, MUCOSAL TRANSFER AND RETENTION OF IRON IN VEAL CALVES

A method for studying iron absorption in humans was adapted to veal ca lves. Three 10-week-old calves with moderate (calves 1 and 2) or sever e (calf 3) iron deficiency were given an abomasal injection of Fe-59 a nd Cr-51 and all their faeces were collected over 15 days in order to measure mucosal uptake, mucosal transfer and retention of iron. The mu cosal uptake was 62.2, 53.4 and 71.8% in calves 1, 2 and 3, respective ly. The iron retention measured 14 days after administration of the te st dose was 57.4, 52.3 and 56.4% in calves 1, 2 and 3, respectively. M aximal plasma activity was found in all three calves between 1 1/2 and 2 h after injection of the test dose. The plasma activity decreased r apidly, with a slight increase between the Sth and the 10th hour. Afte r 21 h, less than 0.25% of the injected dose was still present in 1 li tre of plasma. Not all the Cr-51 was recovered in the faeces. No Fe-59 was found in the urine but some Cr-51 could be detected. The results of this study show that the method described is useful for measuring t he different steps of iron absorption in iron-deficient veal calves.