Recumbency is a frequent symptom occurring throughout lactation. Its cause can be related to the energy or mineral metabolism, or to trauma or infectious diseases. We compared various clinical chemistry parameters between healthy and recumbent cows and between cows with different causes of recumbency and determined if hypocalcaemia manifests in later lactation. Recumbent (n = 32) and healthy (n = 32) German Holstein cows were studied. After clinical examination, a serum sample was taken to measure the concentrations of Mg, Ca, Fe, Na, K, Pi, β-hydroxybutyrate, total bilirubin, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), urea, and creatinine as well as activities of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), and γ-glutamyl transferase in recumbent cows > 5 d in milk and control cows matched for age, lactation number, and pregnancy stage. In recumbent cows, mean serum concentrations of NEFA, bilirubin, and CK were statistically higher, while those of Fe, K, and Pi were significantly lower. Parameters compared between different recumbency diagnoses showed some descriptive Fe, K, urea, and AST differences, but these were not statistically significant. The results show that only a limited number of parameters have diagnostic besides therapeutic value. Although of minor importance in our study, hypocalcaemia should be considered a cause of recumbency, even outside the typical risk period of parturient paresis.

Intrareticularly placed sustained-release selenium boluses were administered to 1 group of selenium-deficient heifer calves (n = 16), and a second group (n = 16) was left as nontreated controls. Age range for all calves was 83 to 156 days. These boluses release 3 mg of selenium each day, as sodium selenite. Measurements of blood selenium concentration, plasma copper concentration, hepatic copper concentration, and body weight were made over a 188-day day study. The treated group of calves had significantly higher mean blood selenium concentration at posttreatment days 68 (P < .0001), 112 (P < 0.0001), and 188 (P < 0.005) than did the control group. Mean blood selenium concentration in the treated calves was > 0.10 micrograms/ml for 188 days. These boluses were observed to be clinically safe; signs of selenium toxicosis were not detected and untoward effects were not seen in the selenium-treated calves. There were no differences between control and treatment groups with respect to mean hepatic copper concentration or mean plasma copper concentration. There were no observed differences between the control and treatment groups with respect to weight gain during the study.

Administration of thiazide diuretics has been recommended to prevent calcium oxalate urolith development in dogs. To evaluate the effects of thiazide diuretics in dogs, 24-hour urine excretion of calcium was measured in 6 clinically normal Beagles after administration of chlorothiazide (CTZ) for 2 weeks, administration of CTZ for 10 weeks, and administration of calcium carbonate and CTZ for 2 weeks. Compared with baseline values, 24-hour urine calcium excretion did not decrease after CTZ administration. When CTZ was given at a high dosage (130 mg/kg of body weight), urinary calcium excretion was significantly (P < 0.04) higher than baseline values. Based on these observations, we do not recommend CTZ for treatment or prevention of canine calcium oxalate urolithiasis.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there was studied the interrelation between content of major nutrient elements (calcium and phosphorous) and trace elements (iron, copper, cobalt, and manganese) in forages and blood of first-calf cows at the first and last stages of lactation. Also, there were developed formulas of mixed forages and a premix for these animals. The studies were realized at the Agricultural Production Co-operative Olgovskoe of Vitebsk region (Belarus). Research of analysis of forages and state of mineral metabolismat heifers made it possible to draw following conclusions: in cow rations there was marked the deficiency of vitamin D, as well as some trace elements (cobalt and manganese) in the conditions of calcium and phosphorus excess. In spite of a high content in a calcium in diets, it was noted than in blood plasma the concentration of this element was below the standard for the majority of animals. Lack of cobalt and manganese of whole blood of cows was connected with a low level of these elements in cow diets. The surplus contents of copper in forages and blood of animals against the background low activity of ceruloplasmin the weakened antioxidant defense of heifer cows. For preventive treatment of possible hypo trace element deficiencies and metabolic disorders of heifer cows at the final stage of lactation there can be recommended the correcting of cow diets with inclusion into their composition of the developed for compound of mixed fodder and premix.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there was studied the influence of various doses of dolomite on productivity, egg quality and a mineral metabolism of laying hens. The research was realized by an example of laying hens of Highsex Brown. The experimental hens at the age of 250 days old were divided into 4 groups on 60 heads in each by means of analog method. Laying hens of the first (control) group were fed with a basic diet including 5% of a soya cake (cockle-shell), and hens of the second, third and fourth (experimental) groups instead of a soya cake were fed with a mixed fodder with addition of a mineral additive of dolomite. Hens of the second group were fed with the additive at a rate of 2%, the third group - 3%, and the fourth group - at a rate of 5% of weight of dry matter of forage. During the experiments there were maintained optimum parameters of microclimate, recommended temperature and light regimes and a sufficient ultra-violet irradiation. As a result of the realized research it was established, that use of the mineral dolomite additive in feeding of laying hens proved to be possible as a substitute of an expensive import cockleshell. Use of various doses of dolomite promoted improvement of mineral metabolism, increasing of productivity and improvement of egg quality of laying hens.

The given research results of feeding highly productive cows with new forage supplement of humic-melanoidine nature during the milking period show stable mineral metabolism, correction of their redundant supply within the diet, perfection of digestion and transition into milk as well as minimizing consequences of metabolism intensification. Reception new forage supplement promoted improvement of mastering by an animals organism of necessary iron during the given physiological period, to restriction of mastering of the microelements equal to the category of heavy metals

In the conditions of biogeochemical zone of the Republic of Belarus the most important role in mineral metabolism is played by such major mineral elements as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and trace elements - cobalt, cupper, iron, iodine, zinc, manganese, and selenium. Based on the above there was determined the interrelation between the content of these minerals in fodder and blood of milking and dry pregnant cows. As a result of realized study it was found out that the content of major mineral elements and trace elements in fodder did not always correspond to their level in blood. In the conditions of insufficient supply of Ca, F, Mg, K, Fe, Си and Co in cow diets, the level of potassium in blood was lower standard and the other analysed minerals were within the standard limits. There was stated the direct correlation relationship between the level of some biochemical indices and content of mineral substances in cow diets. Positive correlation was stated between the content of calcium and magnesium and cholesterin level in blood