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Chronic Vanadium Poisoning in Calves and Its Treatment with Calcium Disodium Ethylenediaminetetraacetate

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Abstract

Sixteen Friesland heifer calves aged between 96 and 157 days were removed from a dairy farm that had been polluted with vanadium and randomly allocated into two equal groups (n = 8). The objective of the trial was to determine whether calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (CaNa2EDTA) could be used as a treatment for cattle running in environments high in background vanadium. The treatment group received 80 mg CaNa2EDTA per kg body weight intraperitonealy (i.p.) twice a week over a 10-week period. The control group received normal saline i.p. over the same period. During the trial calves were exposed to a daily intake of vanadium in the form of contaminated tef hay derived from the farm of origin. In addition, the total mixed ration was spiked with a further 20 mg V2O5/kg feed to compensate for possible on-farm inhalation exposure. A stochastic model was used to estimate daily intake of vanadium as a distribution function. The model estimated that the daily intake of vanadium varied between an absolute minimum of 33 mg/day to an absolute maximum of 124 mg/day. The average intake of vanadium was 71.8 mg per day per calf. Various chemical pathology parameters were measured throughout the trial as well as urine excretion rates of vanadium and lymphocyte stimulation counts. All calves were slaughtered and necropsied in cohorts of 4–6 animals at monthly intervals after completion of the trial and withdrawal of vanadium from the ration. Tissue concentrations of vanadium were determined and necropsy findings were noted. The study found that CaNa2EDTA appears to enhance the excretion of vanadium in calves, but could not prove that the treatment had a protective effect against vanadium exposure. Calves were able to tolerate the prolonged treatment with CaNa2EDTA without side-effects.

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Abbreviations

A:G ratio:

albumin: globulin ratio

AGD:

average daily gain (kg/day)

AST:

aspartate aminotransferase

AUC:

area under the growth curve

BAL:

dimercaprol (British Anti-Lewisite)

BUN:

blood urea nitrogen

CaNa2EDTA:

calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate

cpm:

counts per minute

ΔCPM:

difference in counts per minute

DCD:

disodium catechol disulphonate

DTPA:

trisodium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate

EDTA:

ethylenediaminetetraacetate

GALT:

gut-associated lymphoid tissue

GGT:

γ-glutamyltransferase

GIT:

gastrointestinal tract

Ht:

haematocrit

i.p.:

intraperitoneal(ly)

LD50 :

median lethal dose

MCHC:

mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration

MCV:

mean corpuscular volume

PHA:

phytohaemagglutinin

RCC:

red cell count

SI:

stimulation index/ratio

TSP:

total serum protein

WCC:

white cell count

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Production Animal Studies, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa

    B. Gummow

  2. Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa

    C. J. Botha & M. C. Williams

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  1. B. Gummow
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  2. C. J. Botha
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  3. M. C. Williams
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Correspondence to B. Gummow.

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Gummow, B., Botha, C.J. & Williams, M.C. Chronic Vanadium Poisoning in Calves and Its Treatment with Calcium Disodium Ethylenediaminetetraacetate. Vet Res Commun 30, 807–822 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-006-3279-3

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