The Physiological Status of Acclimatized Simmental Cattle of the Austrian Selection in the Biogeochemical Conditions of the Lower Volga Region

Abstract

The Lower Volga region, including Astrakhan, Volgograd and Saratov regions of the Russian Federation, is characterized by a deficit of iodine, selenium and cobalt in the main components of biogeocenoses. In 2000-2016 in soil, plants, water, organs and tissues of ruminants (total 2911 samples), selected in the Astrakhan region, the atomic adsorption spectrophotometry (Hitachi 180-50, Japan) was used to determine the content of manganese, cobalt, zinc, copper, selenium, iodine, calcium, phosphorus. In addition to iodine, selenium and cobalt deficiency, low copper (from 1.1 to 19.0 mg/kg of dry matter) and molybdenum (within 0.2±12.8 mg/kg of dry matter) were found in the plants of the region. In the hay of natural lands an increased content of calcium and phosphorus was found – 2.6 and 1.2 times higher compared to the recommended norms. In the studied water samples the excess of hydrochemical parameters on hardness – in 4.4 times, magnesium content – 2.4 times, chlorides – 1.4 times, and the presence of ammonia salt was established. The current biogeochemical situation in Astrakhan region is stressful for Simmental cattle imported from Austria, where the climate and composition of plant feed is different. To assess the physiological status of imported animals 5 different age groups of Simmentals were selected 10 heads in each: 1-4 months old calves, bulls on fattening, heifers and cows. The hematological parameters, alkaline reserve, total calcium content in the blood plasma (serum), inorganic phosphorus, vitamins A, E, ascorbic acid, total protein, total lipids, cholesterol, glucose, adrenocorticosterone, cortisol, thyroxine, diene conjugates, malonic dialdehyde, Schiff bases, catalase activity, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in blood, peroxide resistance of erythrocytes were determined in the animals. The number of erythrocytes in the blood of cows exceeded the upper limit of the physiological norm by 17.2%, the concentration of hemoglobin – by 42.1, in all observed animals there was a shift of leukoformula to the right. Biochemical parameters of blood in all age groups of cattle were on the lower limit of norm (vitamin A, total protein, alkaline reserve, and the antioxidant enzymes activity) or below norm (glucose, thyroxine, total calcium, inorganic phosphorus), that along with an imbalance in the system “lipid peroxidation-antioxidant protection” was the evidence of incomplete adaptation to new climatic and geochemical conditions of the environment. Changes in the endocrine and metabolic profile of animals are considered as the main reasons for reducing their milk production and incomplete use of genetic potential.