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Zinc in Ruminants: Metabolism and Homeostasis

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Abstract

Zinc is one of the most studied minerals of the twenty-first century as it is practically involved in every function of the body. The importance of zinc has earned it the epithet “calcium of twenty-first century.” However, the bioavailability of zinc depends on the source of zinc and the subsequent processes of digestion, absorption and metabolism. Zinc from organic sources tends to be more available to animals than from inorganic sources. The complex gastrointestinal physiology of ruminants makes these processes even more intricate. Zinc in the rumen interacts with other substances altering its fate. Absorption of zinc from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) was a mystery until the discovery of zinc transporter proteins. These discoveries opened new gates of wisdom and understanding about the tumultuous journey of zinc molecules through the complex GIT of ruminants. The decade-old concepts of zinc homeostasis largely based on the zinc complexes are jostling through the new theories with the focus on the free zinc ions. The present review briefly elucidates the processes of metabolism and homeostasis of zinc in ruminants.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Bibhudatta SK Panda (PhD Scholar), Animal Physiology Division, ICAR-NDRI, Karnal, and anonymous reviewers for critically evaluating the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mineral Nutrition Lab, Animal Nutrition Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India

    Shahid Hassan Mir, Veena Mani, Ravi Prakash Pal & Hunny Sharma

  2. Environmental Laboratory, Animal Nutrition Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India

    Tariq Ahmed Malik

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  1. Shahid Hassan Mir
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Correspondence to Shahid Hassan Mir.

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Significant statement The review presents a comprehensive outlook on the metabolism and homeostasis of zinc in ruminants. It will help to direct our efforts toward optimizing the zinc nutrition in ruminants.

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Mir, S.H., Mani, V., Pal, R.P. et al. Zinc in Ruminants: Metabolism and Homeostasis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 90, 9–19 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-018-1048-z

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