DISPOSITION OF HAIR MINERALS AT FOUR DIFFERENT BODY SITES OF HEREFORD COWS

Abstract

Hair sampled from the forehead, neck, shoulder and flank regions of 42 pregnant Hereford cows at the starting and 115 d into the dry lot feeding during winter were cleaned, dried and determined for the concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc and iron. Hair nitrogen content was similar at all body sites. The unpigmented hair from the head was lower in all minerals, compared with pigmented hair from the remaining body sites (P < 0.05). The neck and shoulder may be the best single site for taking hair samples to monitor the overall mineral concentrations in Hereford cows. Key words: Macrominerals, microminerals, hair pigmentation, beef cow