Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of Nickel Supplementation on Liver and Kidney Function Test and Protein Metabolism in Growing Cattle

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the nickel (Ni) content of commonly available feedstuffs and their supplemental effect on biomarkers of liver and kidney function and protein metabolism in growing cattle. Eighteen growing Hariana heifers were randomly assigned to three groups for 90 days and managed on similar feeding regimen except that these three groups were supplemented with 0.0 (Ni0.0), 1.5 (Ni1.5), and 3.0 (Ni3.0) of Ni/kg DMI. Cereal grain by-products, cakes and meals, green fodders, molasses, and compounded concentrate were high in Ni content. Cereal grains, straw, and stovers were moderate to low in Ni content. Dietary supplementation of 3.0 mg of Ni/kg DMI showed linear increase (P < 0.01) in average daily gain. No effects of treatments were observed on haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit value, aspartate aminotransferase level, alanine aminotransferase level, and alkaline phosphatase level. Circulating levels of bilirubin (P < 0.05) and creatinine (P < 0.01) showed dose-dependent increase with supplemental Ni. Heifers receiving diet supplemented with Ni showed higher (P < 0.001) plasma urease activity, plasma levels of total protein, albumin, globulin, and plasma urea nitrogen as compared to non-supplemented heifers. Ni supplementation showed a trend of linear increase (P < 0.001) in plasma Ni concentrations, and Ni level was observed highest in Ni3.0 group. Mean plasma iron (Fe) concentration showed no effect of Ni supplementation. The results of the present study indicate that Ni supplementation seems to improve performance in growing cattle by modulating urease activity and protein metabolism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Sharma MC, Joshi C, Das G, Hussain K (2007) Mineral nutrition and reproductive performance of the dairy animals: a review. Indian J Anim Sci 77:599–608

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Davies BE (1981) Trace element pollution. In: Davies BE (ed) Applied soil trace elements, 4th edn. Wiley, Chichester, pp 287–351

    Google Scholar 

  3. Nielsen FH (2000) Importance of making dietary recommendations for elements designated as nutritionally beneficial, pharmacologically beneficial, or conditionally essential. J Trace Elem Exp Med 13:113–129

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Afridi HI, Kazi TG, Kazi N (2011) Evaluation of status of cadmium, lead, and nickel levels in biological samples of normal and night blindness children of age groups 3–7 and 8–12 years. Biol Trace Elem Res 142(3):350–361

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Anke M, Angelow L, Glei M et al (1995) The biological importance of nickel in the food chain. Fresenius J Anal Chem 352:92

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. La Bella FS, Dular R, Lemons P, Vivian S, Queen M (1973) Prolactin secretion is specifically inhibited by nickel. Nature 245:330–332

    Google Scholar 

  7. Oscar TP, Spears JW, Shih JC (1987) Performance, methanogenesis and nitrogen metabolism of finishing steers fed monensin and nickel. J Anim Sci 64(3):887–896

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Spears JW, Smith CJ, Hatfield EE (1977) Rumen bacterial urease requirement for nickel. J Dairy Sci 60:1073–1076

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Kechrid Z, Dahdouh F, Djabar RM, Bouzerna N (2006) Combined effect of water contamination with cobalt and nickel on metabolism of albino (wistar) rats. J Environ Health Sci Eng 3(1):65–69

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Ray WJ Jr, Multani JS (1972) Characterization of the metal binding site of phosphoglucomutase by spectral studies of its cobalt(II) and nickel(II) complexes. Biochemistry 11(15):2805–2812

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Kasprzak KS, Sunderman FW Jr, Salnikow K (2003) Nickel carcinogenesis. Mutat Res 533(1–2):67–97

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Nielsen FH, Shuler TR, Meleod TG, Zimmerman TJ (1984) Nickel influences iron metabolism through physiologic, pharmacologic and toxicologic mechanisms in rats. J Nutr 114:1280–1288

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Ololade A, Oginni O (2010) Toxic stress and hematological effects of nickel on African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, fingerlings. J Environ Chem Eco 2(2):14–19

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. National Research Council (2001) Nutrient requirements of dairy cattle, 2nd revised edn. National Academy of Sciences, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  15. Association of Official Analytical Chemists (2005) Official methods of analysis, 18th edn. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Arlington

    Google Scholar 

  16. Van Soest PJ, Robertson JB, Lewis BA (1991) Symposium: carbohydrate methodology, metabolism and nutritional implications in dairy cattle. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber and non starch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. J Dairy Sci 74(10):3583–3597

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Talapatra SK, Roy SC, Sen KC (1940) The analysis of mineral constituents in biological materials. Estimation of phosphorus, chlorine, calcium, manganese, sodium and potassium in foodstuffs. Ind J Vet Sci Anim Husb 10:243–258

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. AOCS (2011) Urease activity, Official methods and recommended practices of the American Oil Chemist Society, 6th edn. Second Printing, Urbana

    Google Scholar 

  19. Mc Dowell LR (1985) Nutrition of grazing ruminants in warm climates. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  20. Anke M, Henning A, Grun M, Partschefeld M, Groppel B, Ludkf H (1977) Nickel, an essential trace element. The supply of nickel as affecting the live weight gains, food consumption and body composition of growing pigs and goats. Arch Fur Tier 27:25–34

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. O’Dell GD, Miller WJ, King WA, Moore SL, Blackman DM (1970) Nickel toxicity in the young bovine. J Nutr 100:1447–1454

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. O’Dell GD, Miller WJ, Moore SL, King WA, Ellers JC, Jurecek H (1971) Effect of dietary nickel level on excretion and nickel content of tissues in male calves. J Anim Sci 32:769–773

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Spears JW, Hatfield EE, Forbes RM (1979) Nickel for Ruminants II, influence of dietary nickel on performance and metabolic parameters. J Anim Sci 48:649–657

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Bersenyi A, Fekete SG, Szilagyi M, Berta E, Zoldag L, Glavits R (2004) Effects of nickel supply on the fattening performance and several biochemical parameters of broiler chickens and rabbits. Acta Vet Hung 52(2):185–197

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Spears JW, Hatfield EE (1980) Role of nickel in ruminant nutrition. In: Anke M, Schneider HJ, Bruckner C (eds) Spurenelement-symposium, nickel. Friedrich-Schiller University, Jena, pp 47–53

    Google Scholar 

  26. Das KK, Das SN, Dhundasi SA (2008) Nickel, its adverse health effects and oxidative stress. Indian J Med Res 128:412–425

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Spears JW (1984) Nickel as a ‘newer trace element’ in the nutrition of domestic animals. J Anim Sci 59:823–834

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Ambrose AM, Larson PS, Borzelleca JR, Hennigar GR Jr (1976) Long term toxicologic assessment of nickel in rats and dogs. J Food Sci Technol 13:181–187

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Schnegg A, Kirchgessner M (1975) Veranderun- gen des hamoblobingehaltes, der erythrocyten- zahl und des manatorkrits bei nickelmangel. Nutr Metab 19:268–278

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Nielsen FH, Sauberlich HE (1970) Evidence of a possible requirement for nickel by the chick. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 134:845–849

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Arjun JM, Das PS, Day DS, Das MK (2002) Role of vitamin C pretreatment in reducing the blood lead level and lead induced toxic effect in erythrocyte cell membrane. Proc Natl Acad Sci India 72(B III to IV):313–318

    Google Scholar 

  32. Nielsen FH, Zimmerman TJ (1981) Interactions among nickel, copper and iron in rats. Biol Trace Elem Res 3:83–98

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Anke M, Kronemann H, Groppel B, Hennig A, Meissner D, Schneider HJ (1980) The influence of nickel deficiency on growth, reproduction, longevity and different biochemical parameters of goats. In: Proceeding of 3rd international trace element symposium, University Leipzig-Jena, Germany, pp 3–10

  34. Spears JW, Hatfield EE, Forbes RM, Koenig SE (1978) Studies on the role of nickel in the ruminant. J Nutr 108:313–320

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Donskoy E, Donskoy M, Forouhar F, Gillies CG, Marzouk A, Reid MC, Zaharia O, Sunderman FW Jr (1986) Hepatic toxicity of nickel chloride in rats. Clin Lab Med J 16:117–120

    Google Scholar 

  36. Qaisar A, Munir N, Inayat N, Hanif A, Khan SA (2016) Hepatotoxic effect of nickel sulphate on mice. Biomedica 32(3):187–193

    Google Scholar 

  37. Bouhalit S, Kechrid Z (2018) Protective effect of Silymarin extracted from Silybum marianum seeds upon nickel-induced hepatotoxicity in albino wistar rats. Ann Microbiol Immunol 1(1):1005

    Google Scholar 

  38. Magaye Ruth R, Yue X, Zou B et al (2014) Cute toxicity of nickel nanoparticles in rats after intravenous injection. Int J Nanomed 9:1393–1402

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Caldeira RM, Belo AT, Santos CC (2007) The effect of body condition score on blood metabolites and hormonal profiles in ewes. Small Rumin Res 68:233–241

    Google Scholar 

  40. Amudha K, Pari L (2011) Beneficial role of naringin, a flavanoid on nickel induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Chem Biol Interact 193(1):57–64

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Hasanein P, Felegari Z (2017) Chelating effects of carnosine in ameliorating nickel-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 95(12):1426–1432

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Kadi I, Dahdouh F (2016) Vitamin C pretreatment protects from nickel-induced acute nephrotoxicity in mice. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 67:210–215

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Gawthorne JM (1987) Copper interactions. In: Howell JMC, Gawthorne JM (eds) Copper in animals and man. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 79–99

    Google Scholar 

  44. Nielsen FH (1987) Nickel. In: Mertz W (ed) Trace elements in human animal nutrition, vol 1. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 245–273

    Google Scholar 

  45. Whanger PD (1973) Effects of dietary nickel on enzyme activities and mineral contents in rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 25:323–331

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Spears JW, Harvey RW, Samsell L (1986) Effects of dietary nickel and protein on growth, nitrogen metabolism and tissue concentrations of nickel, iron, zinc, manganese and copper in calves. J Nutr 116:1873–1882

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Oscar TP, Spears JW (1988) Nickel-induced alterations of in vitro and in vivo ruminal fermentation. J Anim Sci 66(9):2313–2324

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Milne J, Whitelaw F, Price J, Shand W (1990) The effect of supplementary nickel on urea metabolism in sheep given a low protein diet. Anim Sci 50(3):507–512

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Obone E, Chakrabarty SK, Bai C, Malick MA, Lamantagne L, Subramanian KS (1999) Toxicity and biaoaccumulation of nickel sulphate in Sprague-Dawley rats following 13 weeks of subchronic exposure. J Toxicol Environ Health 57:379–401

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Indre S, Jurgita S, Ilona S, Leonid I (2014) The effects of lead and nickel ions on total proteins and metallothioneins synthesis in mice. Liver Biologija 60(1):17–21

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the staff of the Department of Animal Nutrition and Instructional Livestock Farm Complex, DUVASU, Mathura, India. The authors also gratefully acknowledge Dr. Mukul Anand and Dr. Mukesh Srivastava for assistance during analysis of heamatological and biochemical attributes.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, U.P. Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalaya Evam Go-Anusandhan Sansthan (DUVASU), Mathura, 281001, India

    Anuj Singh, Muneendra Kumar, Vinod Kumar, Debashis Roy, Raju Kushwaha, Shalini Vaswani & Avinash Kumar

Authors
  1. Anuj Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Muneendra Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vinod Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Debashis Roy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Raju Kushwaha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Shalini Vaswani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Avinash Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Muneendra Kumar.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Significance Statement

Ni plays important role in ruminal urease activation, and increased urease activity was responsible for increased daily weight gain in growing cattle. Supplementation up to 3.0 ppm Ni/kg DMI does not exert adverse effect on liver and kidney function.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Singh, A., Kumar, M., Kumar, V. et al. Effect of Nickel Supplementation on Liver and Kidney Function Test and Protein Metabolism in Growing Cattle. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 90, 113–122 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-019-01087-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-019-01087-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation