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Blood Plasma Tocopherol and Phosphorus Levels in a Herd of Beef Cattle¹

Department of Nutrition, Ontario Agricultural College and Department of Medicine and Surgery, Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

In an attempt to establish normal values, plasma total tocopherol levels and plasma acid-soluble phosphorus levels were determined in a well-fed herd of 27 beef cows over a 520-day period. This herd had never experienced nutritional muscular dystrophy.

There was a decline in plasma tocopherol levels of the cows during the stable feeding period. The mean plasma total tocopherol levels were 360 ± 101 and 572 ± 189 µg per 100 ml for stable and pasture feeding, respectively. The mean plasma inorganic phosphorus values were 5.9 ± 0.08 and 5.7 ± 0.06 mg per 100 ml for stable and pasture feeding, respectively.

At high levels of tocopherol intake there were significant differences between the plasma total tocopherol values of the three breeds studied.

Plasma total tocopherol and plasma inorganic phosphorus levels were determined on 18 calves born to these cows. The tocopherol levels of the calves in this herd were, at times, below the levels seen by the authors in some clinical cases of muscular dystrophy.

Nevertheless, the mean plasma total tocopherol levels of calves born to the cows fed barn rations or on pasture were 287 ± 147 and 301 ± 31 µg per 100 ml, respectively. Mean plasma inorganic phosphorus levels were 8.9 ± 1.18 and 9.7 ± 0.08 mg per 100 ml, respectively. These were in a high normal range.

² Present address: Topnotch Feeds, Seaforth, Ontario.

Manuscript received 1 October 1959.