Mineral Test Blood Results

Woolly

Member
Location
W Wales
The tests were done at Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) Shrewsbury. The iodine result took ages, about 6 weeks, despite repeated phone calls to our vet. Other results arrived within 2-3 weeks.

The tests on individual ewes, are described as:
'Biochemistry' Test, Copper (Plasma), Ref Range 9-19 umol/l
'Biochemistry' Test, GSH-Px, Ref Range >50 U/ml RBCs
'Biochemistry' Test, Cobalt (Vit B12) Test, Ref Range > 188 pmol/l

Iodine result (group result only), yet to receive paper notification (phone call only), but reported as 'low' (other results within range).

Any comments appreciated!
 

bovine

Member
Location
North
It's the iodine one I am interested in. If it took ages then likely to be the better test (PII, plasma inorganic iodine).

We stopped using the APHA as they are so slow. Rely on private labs now and get most results back in a few days.
 

Woolly

Member
Location
W Wales
It's the iodine one I am interested in. If it took ages then likely to be the better test (PII, plasma inorganic iodine).

We stopped using the APHA as they are so slow. Rely on private labs now and get most results back in a few days.
I'll pass that on to our vets.

Still waiting for our vet to advise of remedial action - have you any suggestions?

TIA
 

bovine

Member
Location
North
Can drench with iodine. Can offer iodised salt. Unsure if a stand alone iodine bolus exists. In cattle most people use a pour on along their backs, but unsure if that will work in a greasy sheep.

There is a product called Flexidine that can be imported from New Zealand and lasts for 12 months:

http://www.bayeranimal.co.nz/en/product-detail.php?p=3033

Important around mid-late pregnancy in ewes. I think the need is less clear at other stages, but in severe deficiency can lead to reduced growth and fertility.
 

Downton_shep

Member
Location
Leintwardine
We use topical iodine on the ewes. 5ml on the skin (must part the wool).
One dose before going on the roots then again 4-6 weeks before lambing when they get booster. Seams to work well.

We get it from Mayo Health
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
We had very low Iodine in growing lambs in the summer, as did several other local farms that I have discussed it with (& probably a lot more besides). A bolus wasn't enough to lift the levels on their own, or they did, but not enough. I used a cheap TE drench as well, but also heard the local vets were producing a straight Iodine drench as well, costing pennies. To lift very low levels, we've all found that a drench and a bolus has lifted levels and then maintained them, transforming growth and condition within days/weeks.
 

Woolly

Member
Location
W Wales
It's the iodine one I am interested in. If it took ages then likely to be the better test (PII, plasma inorganic iodine).

We stopped using the APHA as they are so slow. Rely on private labs now and get most results back in a few days.
Got iodine result today:
PII(+), our result 26 ng/ml

Notes say "PII <51 ng/ml should be considered as low. PII assesses current iodine intake. PII does not measure the status/activity of thyroid hormones. In iodine supplemented animals PII is usually >105 ng/ml. PII is not influenced by the presence of most goitrogens."

I conclude our result is quite low! We're collecting iodine boluses tomorrow.

The Mayo pour-on looks interesting, £60 for 2.5L which will do 500 ewes.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Got iodine result today:
PII(+), our result 26 ng/ml

Notes say "PII <51 ng/ml should be considered as low. PII assesses current iodine intake. PII does not measure the status/activity of thyroid hormones. In iodine supplemented animals PII is usually >105 ng/ml. PII is not influenced by the presence of most goitrogens."

I conclude our result is quite low! We're collecting iodine boluses tomorrow.

The Mayo pour-on looks interesting, £60 for 2.5L which will do 500 ewes.

That's certainly low enough to warrant sorting out. A neighbour, who was bloodtesting more frequently than me, bolused his lambs at about that level in the summer. He retested a month later as they still weren't thriving as they should, and they averaged about 70 ng/ml, so still considered low on vet's interpretation. He drenched and retested a couple of weeks later, and they averaged over 100 and were flying again.:)

He, and I, are both intending drenching and bolusing again this coming year, to avoid it happening again. I used a cheap TE drench that costs 7-8p/lamb from Welsh Farm Supplies, but he used an Iodine only drench made up by our vet and costing even less.
Pretty sure any topical treatment will only be short lived, much like a drench.
 

bovine

Member
Location
North
If they are significantly low in anything then a drench is often needed to restore levels that the bolus can maintain. Boluses are not designed to necessarily correct deficiency but provide a steady, low level supply.
 

Woolly

Member
Location
W Wales
If they are significantly low in anything then a drench is often needed to restore levels that the bolus can maintain. Boluses are not designed to necessarily correct deficiency but provide a steady, low level supply.
OK, so we need to drench as well as bolus.

The Mayo pour-on works out at 12p/sheep, so more than NeilO's 'cheap' TE, and would last no longer?
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
OK, so we need to drench as well as bolus.

The Mayo pour-on works out at 12p/sheep, so more than NeilO's 'cheap' TE, and would last no longer?

If it's just Iodine that you're having an issue with, it may be worth asking your vet if they can make up an Iodine only drench (yours won't be the only farm in the area with the issue). I haven't asked, but my neighbour reckoned they made something up for 'a couple of pence' a lamb.
 

Woolly

Member
Location
W Wales
Should we bolus the ewe lambs for iodine as well? Or may be give them another Agrimin Smartrace bolus?

Does anyone know why low iodine seems to be a particular prob at present?
 

bovine

Member
Location
North
100g of potassium iodide on ebay costs £10.99. The book Sheep Medicine suggests 20mg per (baby) lamb, so 1g will treat 50 lambs, or 100g will treat 5000 lambs at a cost of 0.2p each. Some of the Kiwi sites suggest 280mg for a ewe, even then the cost would only be 3p.

It's going to cost more for the hassle of making it up.
 

bovine

Member
Location
North
Should we bolus the ewe lambs for iodine as well? Or may be give them another Agrimin Smartrace bolus?

Does anyone know why low iodine seems to be a particular prob at present?

Unless they are under the exact same management then ideally bleed. Different fields can have very different mineral profiles on the same farm. Also be careful supplementing things they don't need (like extra selenium which can be toxic).

Iodine not a particular problem this year, we find deficiency very rarely. The availability of the PII test means we test more animals now than we used to.
 
Unless they are under the exact same management then ideally bleed. Different fields can have very different mineral profiles on the same farm. Also be careful supplementing things they don't need (like extra selenium which can be toxic).

Iodine not a particular problem this year, we find deficiency very rarely. The availability of the PII test means we test more animals now than we used to.

Isn't there a problem caused by too much iodine, it effects the colostrum and hence the new born lambs.
 

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