Macroelements concentration in the osseous tissue of caudal vertebrae in domestic sheep lambs and of mandibular bone in roe deer bucks coming from the northern and the southern region of Western Pomerania in Poland

Abstract. The aim of the studies was to compare Na, K, Ca, Png and Mg concentrations in the blood serum of lambs coming from the northern and the southern region of Western Pomerania, as well as to compare the concentration of these elements in the osseous tissue of caudal vertebrae in sheep lambs and of mandible in roe deer bucks populating the areas of the same agrocenoses – cultivated fields and meadows. The studies were carried out in the same year on the blood serum and the osseous tissue of the 4th and 5th caudal vertebrae of 99-days-old Polish Merino lambs (± 2 days) of both sex and on the mandibular osseous tissue of 62 roe deer bucks (Capreolus capreolus) of an "ecological field population". Fifty lambs, with the average body weight of 7.26 kg ± 1.49, came from a fold in the coastal zone of the Western Pomeranian Province (53°59' N; 15°18' E), and 49 lambs, with the average body weight of 7.64 kg ± 1.87, from an area far removed by approximately 130 km to the south (53°25' N; 14°81' E). The feeding of lamb dams was standardized. In the blood serum of lambs from the north, higher concentrations of K (P ≤ 0.05) and Ca, P_ng and Mg (P ≤ 0.01) were recorded, as well as a lower concentration of Na (P ≤ 0.05). The osseous tissue of caudal vertebrae of these lambs contained significantly less Na, Ca, P_ng and Mg (P ≤ 0.01) and more K (P ≤ 0.01) compared to the lambs from the south. The age of bucks was not a source of variation for the content of examined macroelements in the osseous tissue of their mandibles. Higher concentration of Ca (P ≤ 0.01) was recorded in the mandibular osseous tissue of bucks aged 1–2 and 3–5 years compared to similar ones from the southern part. The concentration of Mg in the osseous tissue of bucks aged 3–5 and 6–9 years was significantly lower compared to individuals from the south. The results of the own studies showed significant differences in the abundance of the blood serum and the osseous tissue of young lambs in examined macroelements according to the area of Western Pomerania region. One may not exclude that the source of that variation is geological substrate of agrocenoses, being a food base of domestic ruminants. Higher concentration of calcium in the mandibular osseous tissue of bucks from the north compared to animals from the south confirms the fact of significant effect of the natural intensive light with limited abundance of substrate in that element on its concentration in organism. On the other hand, its lower concentration in the osseous tissue of lambs from that area points to the necessity of supplementing their dams in that element during pregnancy. These results prove simultaneously the food selectivity of roe deer and their ability to unconstrained supplementation of possible deficiencies, which may serve as a recommendation for ecological agriculture.