Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
120
IMPACT OF WATER SALINITY (SODIUM AND SULFATE) ON DAIRY
CATTLE AND ITS RELATION WITH OXIDATIVE STRESS IN BASRAH
PROVINCE
Nameer A. khudhair* ,Nadhem M.J. Ali* Mgharab M.J.Al-Iedane
*Department of Veterinary Hygiene, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Basrah ,Iraq
Key words: Water Salinity, Sodium, sulfate, dairy cattle
Corresponding Author: nameer.physiology@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Water salinity represents the most difficult challenge facing the livestock in Basrah province,
therefore, twelve dairy cattle obtained from Farm of College of veterinary Medicine \University
of Basrah. These animals were included and administrated salt water for 60 days with regular
feed supplementation and then administrated pure water(R-O) for another 60 days. All clinical
signs were recorded during the study period and the blood sample was collected from cows in
both cases. Sodium, Sulphur and total antioxidant capacity values were measured. Four milking
cows were dead during the period of study as a result of high water salinity. Serum sodium and
sulfate values were rise significantly when compared with the period of drinking pure water
while the effectiveness of total antioxidant capacity significantly decreased in dairy cows drink
salt water. This study investigated the deleterious effect of sodium and sulfate rises on total antioxidant
capacity in dairy cows.
INTRODUCTION
Water salinity is the most important threaten problem that faced Basrah city, especially
at the last decade, as a part of regional conflicts that applied on Iraq, the first hand via restriction
of water flowing from Turkey to Tigris and Euphrates, from other hand water restriction from
Iran to pours in shat-arab . According to the agricultural date, there are hundreds of livestock’s
dead annually, especially through summer season in south cities of Basrah due to increase in
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
121
water salinity concentrations that extend a long distance shat-Alarab flow. Dairy cattle are
different in their requirement for water from the animals due to its production of milk needed
about (70-250 l/head/day) [1]. The common types of salts in water are mainly sodium chloride,
calcium and magnesium bicarbonates, chlorides and sulfates [2]. Sodium sulfate is the primary
salt causing elevated water total dissolved salts (TDS). Sulfates may be had greater an effect on
water intake and performance than other salts [3]. Dissolved oxygen was not the single
fluctuating variable in animals; variability in temperature and salinity interact with O2, and were
also responsible for modulation of generation of endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS),
which affect the endogenous antioxidant response [4]. However, the effect of salinity variations
on the total antioxidant system in animals has been investigated [5]. The changes in salinity
(either increases or decreases) were affected on expression/activities of the antioxidant enzymes
systems [6].
The aim of the study:
The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of water salinity mineral (especially sodium and
sulfate) on animal performance and stresses in dairy cattle when compared with pure water given
to same dairy cattle.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was conducted at 11 /8 /2015 to 11 /1٢ /2015. Twelve adult dairy cattle obtained
from Farm of Veterinary Medicine College \ University of Basrah were included in different
ages, and administrated salt water for 60 days (Table 1) with regular feed supplementation and
then given pure water for another 60 days (table 1). Blood samples were collected after each
treatment period to evaluate sodium, sulfate and total antioxidants capacity and then centrifuged
at 3000 rpm/ minute for 15 minutes to separate the serum for above measurements. The collected
Serum was digested according to method described by Xueping and Reny (2002) by adding (2
ml) of Nitric acid and (1 ml) of Perochloric acid to (0.5ml) of serum as digesting agents in a
Pyrex tube then heating with an oil path to 160Cº for 1 hour, then cooled and finally completed
to 10 ml with (0.3) Hydrochloric acid to became ready for measureing the mineral values by
using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The total antioxidant capacity were measured by
using (Total antioxidant capacity kit, Germany) that contain DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-
picrylhydrazyl) (0.6 Mm) and ascorbic acid 100 mg/100ML (control) with blank solution of
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
122
methanol. DPPH and ascorbic acid allowed reacting for sixty minutes in dark place and reading
the samples at wave length 517 nm. An experimental blank solution (methanol) used for carrying
out correction for the baseline [8].
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The present study designed to compare between the most important mineral that might be
affected on animals when drinking salt water and other drink pure water these minerals were
chosen (table 1) due to the symptoms observed on animals in the farm and showed the
antioxidant defense system reflection depend on this cases.
Table (1) comparison between component of salinity water and pure water
sample TDS mg/l PH IU Sal g/l Cl mg/l Na mg/l So4 mg/l
Salt water 10872 7.15 16.9 7152 928.5 708.5
Pure
water
833 6.8 1.22 441 171.3 254.4
*Data collected from Marine Science Center- University of Basrah
The differences in salts concentration between salinity water and pure water showed in table (1)
that appeared high TDS level in salt water (10872) which used in the first 60 days of trail
compared with pure water (833) which used in the second 60 days of trail, also for Cl, Na, and
SO4 that recorded high concentration in salt water compared with pure water as collected from
Marine science Center- University of Basrah.
The results revealed four dairy cattle were dead during the experiment and detected symptoms
due to administration of salt water, these symptoms divided into two stages as in table (2).
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
123
Table (2) stages and symptoms of salinity water poisoning
The animal may be go into a coma and death within 6 to 24 hours.
The laboratory analysis showed significant increases (p˂0.05) in serum Na & So4 in animals
drinking salinity water when compared with animals drinking pure water (table 3). While the
total antioxidant capacity showed a significant decrease (p˂0.05) in values in animals drinking
salinity water when compared with animal drinking pure water (table 3). Many studies indicated
to the effect of water salinity on dairy cattle, one of these done by Curran [9],he observed the
signs of salt poisoning represented by “Appear unwell , lack of appetite & reluctant to drink,
Increased urination initially followed by small amounts of concentrated urine, nasal discharge,
abdominal pain, lying down and nervous signs (such as star gazing, tremors, blindness, circling,
walking backwards, head pressing, wobbly in the legs; knuckling at the fetlocks and
convulsions) and death”. The studies fixed previously that water high in salt content can be
compromised performance and health of cattle viathree ways: 1) reduced water and feed intake;
2) toxic levels of sulfur ingestion; and 3) induced trace mineral deficiencies [10]. High
concentrations of sulfates, especially sodium sulfate, produced a laxative effect in cattle, but
normally within a short period of time cattle become acclimated to the water and diarrhea is no
longer apparent [11]. Other research by Loneragan et al.[12] has shown a linear decrease in
average daily gain of feedlot steers as sulfate concentration in the drinking water increased from
136 to 2,360 ppm and finally decreased feedlot cattle performance. In addition, ingestion of high
levels of sulfate from water can be caused polioencephalomalacia (PEM). Symptoms noticed in
animals with PEM included lethargy, anorexia, blindness, muscle tremors, gastrointestinal stasis,
incoordination, staggering, weakness, convulsions, and death. Dietary sulfur levels of 0.9% of
dry matter have been associated with PEM [13]. Indeed, increased water intake (i.e. during
early stage Late stage
excessive thirst general weakness
abdominal colic muscular tremors
loss of appetite rapid loss of
condition
diarrhea blindness
increased urination eventual paralysis
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
124
periods of high temperature or lactation) results in elevated sulfur ingestion when sulfates are
present in the water. Sulfate levels alone are rarely a problem as high sulfate concentrations
usually occur only in waters with high general salinity. The direct effect of water salinity on
antioxidant defense system was unclear, aspects relating of minerals to host immunity enzymes
have been received importance in the recent past. Trace elements acted as cofactors of enzymes
like superoxide dismutase. Oxidative stress are affected animals health by dismutase (SOD) [14],
glutathione reductase, thioredoxin reductase [15] and catalase [16]. These enzymes are important
to maintain the immunity of animals. They acted as antioxidants [17], but Sordillo and Aitken
[18] suggested that oxidative stress during the transition period can be a major underlying cause
of inflammatory and immune dysfunction in dairy cattle. Because of their antioxidant function,
trace minerals can be contributed to counterbalancing oxidative stress, which could be reduced
metabolic and immune problems during the transition period. The unbalanced of minerals in
animals lead to impaired of immune functions of these animals and decreased the antioxidant
enzymes activities [19].
Table (3) Serum level of Na, So4 and total antioxidant capacity of dairy cattle in salinity
and regular water drink (Mean ± SD)
Sample/ parameters Na mg/l SO4 mg/l Antioxidant
capacity
Salinity water 59.7±8.25* 3.87±0.30 * 0.08±0.016
pure water 41.7±6.42 1.73±0.83 0.17±0.010 *
*means a significant difference under p≥0.05
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
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تأثیر ملوحة المیاه (الصودیوم والکبریتات) على أبقار الحلیب وعلاقتھا بمضادات الاکسده فی محافظة
البصرة
الخلاصة
تمثل ملوحة المیاه التحدی الاصعب الذی یواجھ تربیة الماشیة فی محافظة البصرة . استخدمت اثناعشر بقرة حلوب والتی
شملت الحیوانات فی حقل کلیة الطب البیطری – جامعة البصرة .اعطیت الماء المالح لمدة ٦٠ یوم مع تقدیم علیقة قیاسیة ، ثم
تم تقدیم الماء النقی الصالح للشرب لمدة ٦٠ یوم اخرى . سجلت جمیع العلامات السریریة التی ظھرت على الابقار خلال فترة
الدراسة و جمع الدم من الابقار فی کلا الحالتین لیتم قیاس قیمة الصودیوم ، الکبریتات وفعالیة انزیمات الاکسدة . اظھرت
النتائج نفوق اربعة من الابقار الحلوب نتیجة ملوحة المیاه بعد تسجیل العلامات السریریة علیھا وسجلت قیم الصودیوم
والکبریتات ارتفاعا معنویا عند مقارنتھا مع فترة شرب المیاه العذبة فیما کانت فعالیة الانزیمات مضادة للاکسدة منخفضة
معنویا عند تقدیم الماء المالح للابقار الحلوب. تشیر الدراسة الحالیة الى تاثیر الصودیوم والکبریتات الضار على الابقار الحلوب
وتثبیط نظام المضاد للاکسدة نتیجة زیادة تراکیزھا فی الماء المالح.
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