The effect of a copper, selenium and cobalt soluble glass bolus on the trace element status of Bactrian camels

摘要

The trial was carred out to evaluate the performance of a soluble glass copper, cobalt and selenium bolus for maintaining adequate levels of the three trace elements in Bactrian camels. The sixty Bactrian camels, 30 females and 30 castrated males, selected for the study were 2-13 years of age in Alashanyouqi County of Inner Mongolia and were allocated to two groups by restricted randomization. One group each had two 100 g soluble glass boluses (manufactured by Pilkington Controlles Release Systems Ltd., UK) administered with the other group not receiving a bolus to act as a control. Blood samples were taken by jugular venipuncture at days 0 (prior to bolus administration) and at days 30, 60 and 90. The samples were analysed for copper status (serum caeruloplasmin activity and copper concentration), cobalt status (serum vitamin B12 concentration and cobalt concentration), selenium status (erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity and selenium concentration) and serum zinc concentration. The erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activities, ceruloplasmin activities and vitamin B12 concentrations in serum were significantly increased for the bolused Bactrian camels (P＜0.01) on all sampling days. The bolused camels had a significantly higher selenium and copper status in serum than the control Bactrian camels throughout the trial (P＜0.01). The selenium and copper status of all the Bactrian camels was in the normal range. The selenium and copper status indicators indicate an adequate selenium and copper concentrations. There were no significant differences in zinc and cobalt concentrations between the bolused camels and the controls.