Deficiency of essential elements in volcanic soils: potential harmful health effects on grazing cattle

Abstract

Several essential nutrients such as Fe, Co, Cu, I, Se, and Zn are vital to grazing cattle as they play a significant role in intracellular enzyme systems, with antioxidant and repair functions of DNA lesions. Feeds may supply most essential nutrients in adequate amounts. However, essential nutrient deficiencies are common and are mainly related to the geochemical characteristics of the soils, inherited from parent rocks. This study aims to assess the concentrations of the selected essential nutrients in topsoils and pasture grass from Sa ˜o Miguel Island (Azores) and discuss the possible effects of its deficiency in grazing cattle health. Sixty-eight samples of agricultural (pastures) topsoil and thirty samples of pasture grass were collected throughout Sa ˜o Miguel Island in areas with basaltic and trachytic parent rocks. Soil physicochemical properties and geochemical baselines of selected elements were determined on composite samples of soil and pasture grass in each site. Results indicate that the highest concentrations of the selected essential nutrients were observed in areas with basaltic soils, while the lowest values were found in areas with trachytic soils. These differences are considered of geogenic origin since they result from the weathering of volcanic parent rocks with different geochemical compositions. Data indicate a lack of some essential nutrients in topsoils (Co and Se) and/or pasture grass (Co, Cu, Se, and Zn) that can contribute to harmful health effects on grazing cattle. The uneven distribution of essential nutrients in topsoil and pasture grass and their deficiency can lead to several health problems in the cattle since these elements regulate

Impacts of trace element supplementation on productive/reproductive postpartum performances of grazing dairy heifers from volcanic soils

“…These results agree with those previously published by Pinto (2007a,b), which revealed a general deficiency of TE in grazing cattle in most of the Azores' islands, which can be associated with the characteristics of the volcanic soils existing here. Linhares et al (2021) reported that in S. Miguel, the concentrations of Cu and Zn are insufficient to cover the minimum needs of ruminants, while Fe, Co, Cu, I, and Zn in the soils and pastures of this same island of the Azorean archipelago exist in very low concentrations. For animals into which TMBs were introduced, a significant increase (P < 0,05) in the mean concentration of Cu and Se was observed on the parturition day and 60 days after.…”

“…Soil-climatic conditions and fertile soils of volcanic origin allow the Azores to present excellent conditions for creating dairy and beef cattle based on pastures throughout the year. However, cattle grazing in the Azores lacks some essential TE such as cobalt, copper, iodine, selenium, and zinc (Pinto et al 2007a,b), because of the low levels of these elements in the pasture due to the volcanic genesis of Azorean soils (Linhares et al 2021), compromising the normal functioning of the body which can cause health problems for cattle, specifically in terms of the immune and reproductive systems (Suttle 2010). Particularly in heifers, it has been demonstrated that TE are crucial for the reproductive apparatus development, keeping animals healthy and well prepared for their first lactation.…”

Evaluation of Two Species of Macroalgae from Azores Sea as Potential Reducers of Ruminal Methane Production: In Vitro Ruminal Assay

“…On the contrary, the Cu content found in Asparagopsis taxiformis (7.41 ppm) was 43% less than that found in Asparagopsis armata (12.99 ppm). The trace elements present in fresh seaweed may constitute an important source for the natural supplementation of trace elements for ruminants in the Azores, since there are recently published studies, such as SREAC [ 2 ] and Linhares et al [ 29 ], indicating a generalised deficiency of trace elements in Azorean cattle, among which are manganese and copper, with the values found in both seaweeds exceeding the minimum needs required by dairy cattle [ 30 ], when considering the analysed values per gram of dry matter (g/DM). However, it is important to note that the adequacy of these trace elements to meet the minimum requirements of dairy cows depends on the quantity of seaweed consumed and the bioavailability of these trace elements in digestion, which was not evaluated in this study.…”