Genetic and environmental factors of macroelements concentration in blood serum and osseous tissue of lambs in north-west Poland

Abstract. The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of Na, K, Ca, P_ig and Mg in blood serum and osseous tissue of the lambs of various breeds at age of 14 days. The studies were carried out on 221 lambs in various sheepfolds in Northwest Poland. The material for the studies comprised the blood serum and osseous tissue ash of the 4th and 5th caudal vertebrae. The values of macroelement concentrations in osseous tissue were expressed in mmol/l in 1g of dry matter. The highest (P ≤ 0.01 and P ≤ 0.05) Na concentration was found in the serum of Ile de France lambs (152.31 mmol/l ± 7.50), of K and P_ig in the Kent lambs (5.52 mmol/l ± 0.48; 3.37mmol/l ± 0.51), and Ca and Mg — in the Polish Merino lambs (2.42 mmol/l ± 0.27; 1.25 mmol/l ± 0.09). The Ca/P ratio was similar (0.70 ± 0.09), whereas the Ca/Mg ratio was the highest for the Polish Merino lambs (2.35 ± 0.27). Osseous tissue Na concentration was similar (2.25mmol/l ± 0.43). The highest osseous tissue concentration of K was found in the lambs: Kent and Polish Merino (1.29 mmol/l ± 0.23) and Ile de France (1.36 mmol/l ± 0.27). The lowest Ca was recorded in the lambs Kent and Merino (9.50 mmol/l±1.72), the highest – in Blackheaded (19.74 mmol/l ±2.02). The lowest P_ig concentration was found in the osseous tissue of the Polish Merino (9.70 mmol/l ±1.76). The concentration of magnesium ranged between 0.83 mmol/l ± 0.11 in the serum of Kent lambs and 1.02 mmol/l ± 0.15 in the serum of the Leine lambs. The lowest Ca/P ratio was observed in the osseous tissue of the Kent lambs (0.50 ± 0.10), whereas the highest was found in the Ile de France lambs (1.17 ± 0.17). A wide range (P ≤ 0.01) of the Ca/Mg ratio were recorded, from 11.40 ±1.72 in Kent to 20.37 ± 2.09 in Blackheaded. Basing on the concentrations of Na, K, Ca, P_ig and Mg in the blood serum of 14-day-old lambs, no conclusions should be drawn as to the content of the elements in the osseous tissue.