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Influence of a High Level of Dietary Cadmium on Cadmium Content in Milk, Excretion, and Cow Performance¹

Dairy Science Department, University of Georgia, Athens

ABSTRACT

Three Holstein cows were each given 3.0 g of cadmium daily (two equal doses) for two weeks by gelatin capsules. There was a sharp drop in concentrate consumption for the first few days of cadmium administration but, by the second week, consumption returned to normal. Milk production declined sharply for several days and then increased appreciably, but to a level still substantially lower than that of controls during the last five days cadmium was given. When cadmium treatments ceased, milk production increased by 50%. Fat content of milk was elevated considerably during the week when production was most reduced. Cows given cadmium lost considerable weight. There were no other clinical manifestations of toxicity. As determined by the chromic oxide indicator method and twice-daily grab samples, fecal excretion of cadmium for the second week averaged 82% of that given. The cadmium level in the urine was below the limits of detectability of the method (0.5 ppm of urine). The cadmium content of the milk was less than 0.1 ppm of the milk, which was the lower reliability limit of the procedure used. On this basis less than 0.022% of the amount administered appeared in the milk. In vitro studies demonstrated that cadmium combines with the casein and whey protein fractions of the milk readily, with the amount combined being linear when levels from 1.0 to 25.0 ppm are added to milk. Smaller amounts were present in the lactose and mineral fractions.

¹ University of Georgia, College of Agriculture Experiment Stations, Journal Paper no. 38, College Station, Athens. Supported in part by PHS Research Grant no. AM-07367-NTN from the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases.

² Trainee supported by the National Science Foundation Secondary Science Training Program, Special Projects in Science Education. Present address: Brooksville, Florida.

³ Department of Geology.

⁴ School of Veterinary Medicine.