Zinc
- Sheep Bolus Company
- Aug 5
- 1 min read
Zinc deficiency can result in impaired growth and wool abnormalities. A key symptom of zinc deficiency is the development of skin lesions, usually around the mouth, eyes, and feet. These lesions can include redness, cracking, peeling, and crusting.
“The animals fed the diets not supplemented with zinc exhibited the following symptoms: anorexia; depraved appetite (eating wool); reduced growth; reduced feed efficiency; loose wool; swollen hocks; red, wrinkled skin; and open lesions of the skin above the hoof and around the eyes.” [2]
Low levels of zinc can also affect fertility.
“Low Zn intake throughout pregnancy has severe effects on reproduction in the ewe. Because signs of Zn deficiency are nonspecific, poor Zn status should be considered in cases of unexplained reproductive problems.” [1]
Lethargy & low appetite are also symptoms of zinc deficiency.
“Grazing animals can exhibit Zn deficiency when soils and forages contain limited concentrations of Zn. Pastures have been observed to be Zn-deficient in many parts of the world. However, non-ruminant animals usually receive adequate Zn when fed corn and soybean meal diets if there is not excessive Ca and Fe in their diets, but this is not true for rapidly growing young animals. Characteristics of a Zn deficiency include loss of appetite, reduced growth and reproduction, and impaired health of bone and skin tissues.” [3]
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