Slaughterhouse Survey of Cobalt Status in Serum and Liver of Cattle in Different Seasons

Cobalt is an essential nutrient for ruminants which is required for the synthesis of vitamin B12 by the ruminal microflora. Cobalt deficiency can lead to a deficiency of vitamin B12, which plays a major role in many metabolic reactions in the body.

This study was conducted to evaluate cobalt status in the serum and liver of cattle.

In different seasons, the blood serum and liver concentration of cobalt in slaughtered cattle in Urmia city were measured by atomic absorption in 151 and 196 cattle, respectively.  

The results of cobalt measurement indicated that in 12.6% of serum and 21.4% of liver samples the concentration of cobalt was less than normal range with the Mean ± SD value of 0.64 ± 0.25 µg/dl and 0.15 ± 0.04 µg/gDM, respectively. The seasonal variations of cobalt values were assessed in serum and liver samples and following results were obtained: spring (2.18 ± 1.64 µg/dl, 0.23 ± 0.13 µg/gDM), summer (3.42 ± 1.04 µg/dl, 0.42 ± 0.27 µg/gDM), autumn (3.45 ± 0.37 µg/dl, 0.47 ± 0.38 µg/gDM) and winter (2.75 ± 0.59 µg/dl, 0.35 ± 0.09 µg/gDM).

According to the results of this study, it seems that there is a subclinical deficiency of cobalt in cattle of this region and it is recommended that preventive measures be considered to prevent the complications and disorders caused by its clinical deficiency.