Effect of Supplementing Mineral Mixture (with and Without Zinc) in Diets on Retention and Blood Mineral Status in Kids

Three concentrate mixtures were constituted by incorporating barley, deoiled rice polish and mustard cake to study the effect of supplementation of mineral mixture (with and without Zn) on mineral status of kids. Group 1 sans mineral mixture, where as in group 2, mineral mixture devoid of Zn and in group 3, mineral mixture plus Zn was included. These concentrate mixtures along with gram straw were fed for 105 d to three groups of male Beetal kids (5 in each group) aged 3–4 months. The Zn content in concentrate mixtures was 20.59, 22.43 and 63.08 ppm and, in total diets was 4.16, 12.98 and 32.28 ppm in groups 1, 2 and3 respectively. The blood samples were collected at zero day and subsequently at monthly intervals for studying the blood serum mineral profile (Ca, P, Zn, Cu, Mn and Fe). After 105 days, a metabolism trial was conducted to know the balances of these minerals. The retention of Zn in group 3 was higher (p<0.01) in comparison to groups 1 and 2. Retention of Ca and Cu was higher (p<0.01) in groups 2 and 3 relative to group 1, whereas retention of P, Mn and Fe did not exhibit significant differences. The mean serum Ca and P concentrations (mg/100ml) were 7.61 and 5.07, 8.75 and 5.08 and 8.93 and 5.99 in groups 1 to 3, respectively. The corresponding values for Zn (ppm) were 0.89,1.13 and 1.21 and for Cu (ppm) were 0.86,1.16 and 1.19, respectively. The values for Mn and Fe in groups 1 to 3 were 0.24, 0.30, 0.32 and 1.59, 232 and 239 ppm, respectively. The study inferred supplementation of mineral mixture (with or without Zn) increased the retention of supplemented minerals and improved blood mineral status of kids.