Small Ruminant Research 33 (1999) 18

Effects of zinc-methionine on performance of Angora goats

R. Puchalaa, T. Sahlua,*, J.J. Davis1,a
a

E (Kika) de la Garza Institute for Goat Research, P. O. Box 730, Langston, OK 73050, USA
Accepted 25 November 1998

Abstract
Effects of supplementation with zinc-methionine (Zn-Met), a source of potentially rumen protected methionine and zinc (Zinpro
40, Edina, MN), on mohair growth, BW gain and blood metabolites were investigated in Angora goats. Forty yearling Angora goats
(20 wethers and 20 doelings) were offered a basal diet (11.2% CP, 22 ppm Zn, 2.3 Mcal/kg DM) at 4% BWof DM for 120 days. The
treatments (15) were: 1, 3 and 5 g/day of Zn-Met, 150 mg/day of zinc oxide and control (no supplementation). Supplementation of
the diet with Zn-Met (1, 3 and 5 g/day of Zn-Met) increased (P < 0.07) ADG (65.5 versus 55.9 g/day for control). ADG for goats
receiving ZnO was lower (P < 0.04) than for goats receiving a similar amount of Zn from 3 g/d Zn-Met (50.5 versus 62.9 g/day),
although Zn-Met inclusion in the diet numerically (P 0.13) increased clean mohair production, which also changed quadratically
(P < 0.09) as Zn-Met level increased (1.59, 1.51, 1.62, 1.60 and 1.59 kg in 120 days) for treatments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively.
Supplementation of the diet with Zn-Met increased (P < 0.03) plasma Zn concentration (0.92 versus 0.72 mg/l for control); there
were no differences in plasma Zn concentration between goats receiving the ZnO supplement and goats receiving a similar amount
of Zn from Zn-Met (0.87 versus 0.92 mg/l; P > 0.56). Plasma methionine concentration was not affected by Zn-Met
supplementation (P > 0.53). In summary, supplementation of a Zn-adequate diet with Zn-Met increased ADG by yearling Angora
goats regardless of level of Zn-Met added. Supplementation of 1 g Zn-Met may have positive effect on ADG and mohair growth
when diet contains about 20 ppm Zn. # 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Angora goats; Zinc-methionine; Mohair

1. Introduction
The essential amino acids lysine, methionine (Met)
and cyst(e)ine stimulate wool and mohair growth
(Sahlu and Fernandez, 1992; Reis and Sahlu, 1994;
Puchala et al., 1995). Reis and Tunks (1978); Reis et
al. (1990), using dietary mixtures of amino acids,
found that omission of Met reduced wool growth
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-405-466-3836; fax: +1-405466-3138; e-mail: sahlu@mail.luresext.edu
1
Institute for Integrated Agricultural Development (IIAD) RMB
1145, Rutherglen, Victoria 3685, Australia.

and decreased both length growth rate and diameter.

Skin and ber (wool, mohair) impose heavy demands
on the utilization of circulating sulfur amino acids.
Black and Reis (1979) predicted that 80% of the total
free blood pool of combined cysteine and Met would
be used for ber growth. Being responsible for the
initiation of protein synthesis, Met is important in ber
growth. Met can be converted by transulfuration to
cystine mainly in the liver (Cobon et al., 1988), but
also to some extent in other tissues (Radclife and
Egan, 1978; Benevenga et al., 1983).
Supplementation with specic amino acids has
inuenced mohair growth in Angora goats. Sahlu

0921-4488/99/$ see front matter # 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 9 2 1 - 4 4 8 8 ( 9 8 ) 0 0 1 9 4 - 1

R. Puchala et al. / Small Ruminant Research 33 (1999) 18

and Fernandez (1992) evaluated responses to intraperitoneal administration of amino acids in Angora
wethers fed a 13% CP diet. Infusion of 1 g/day of
Met increased clean mohair yield from 7.6 to 8.0 g/
100 cm2 of skin. Assuming that the average percentage of methionine in protein is 2%, 1 g of Met
substitutes for 50 g of protein. Considering the feed
intake of animals used by Sahlu and Fernandez (1992),
infused Met of 1 g/day was equivalent to increasing
the dietary protein level from 13 to 18%. It may be cost
effective to increase absorption of most limiting amino
acids such as Met through dietary supplementation of
specic amino acids, rather than increasing absorption
of a large number of amino acids through increase of
the total dietary CP level.
Apart from the major nutrients such as protein,
many vitamins and trace elements are essential for
ber growth. Zinc (Zn) functions directly in the
process of wool growth; thus, Zn deciencies can
seriously affect wool growth (Reis, 1989). Zinc is
needed for the functions of over 100 enzymes, and
essential for DNA, RNA, protein synthesis and, as
such, cell division. White et al. (1994) suggested that
primary impact of Zn deciency on wool growth is
through impaired protein synthesis.
Commercially available Zn-Met complexes provide
both Zn and Met. Heinrichs and Conrad (1983)
reported that Met from a Zn-Met complex was not
utilized by mixed ruminal inoculum in vitro, implying
passage to the small intestine without microbial alteration. Hempe and Cousins (1989) suggested that ZnMet and Cu-Lys complexes are transported intact from
the intestinal lumen into mucosal cells. If Zn-Met is
absorbed and transported without modication, the
complex may provide a means of increasing tissue
supply of Met, which should increase animal productivity when Met is limiting. Therefore, objectives of
this study were to investigate effects of dietary supplementation with Zn-Met (Zinpro 40, Edina, MN) or
zinc oxide on mohair growth, BW gain and concentrations of blood metabolites in Angora goats.
2. Materials and methods
Forty yearling Angora goats (BW 24.5  2.0 kg,
twenty wethers and twenty doelings) were adapted to a
basal diet (Table 1) fed at 4% BW (DM basis). The

Table 1
Composition of experimental diet
Item

Concentration (%)

Ingredient
Cottonseed hulls
Ground corn
Soybean meal
Trace mineral salta
Calcium carbonate
Vitamin premixb
Dicalcium phosphate

46.0
45.0
7.0
1.0
0.5
0.2
0.3

Nutrients
CP
TDN

11.2
64.2

Containing (in percentages) NaCl, 94 to 95; Mn, >0.2; ferrous Fe,

>0.16; ferric Fe, >0.14; Cu, >0.033; Zn, >0.10; I, >0.007; Co,
>0.005.
b
Each gram contained 2200 IU of vitamin A, 2200 IU of vitamin
D, and 0.2 IU of vitamin E.

diet was formulated to be adequate in CP, energy,

vitamins and minerals for these classes of goats.
Following the adaptation period goats were blocked
by BW and sex and randomly assigned to one of ve
dietary supplements: 1 g Zn-Met (40 mg Zn, 100 mg
Met) 14 mg CuO (12 mg Cu); 3 g Zn-Met (120 mg
Zn, 300 mg Met) 45 mg CuO (36 mg Cu); 5 g ZnMet (200 mg Zn, 500 mg Met) 75 mg CuO (60 mg
Cu); 150 mg ZnO (120 mg Zn) 45 mg CuO (36 mg
Cu); control (no supplement). Cu is considered to be a
major Zn antagonist and, hence, was provided
together with Zn supplementation to avoid Cu deciency (Rojas et al., 1995). The basal diet contained
22 ppm of Zn and 5.3 ppm of Cu. Supplementation of
150 mg ZnO and 3 g of Zn-Met provided a similar
amount of supplemental Zn (120 mg/day).
Goats were housed in individual crates with
expanded metal oors. Animals were fed once daily
at 08:00 hours and had free access to water; treatments
were applied for 120 days. Intake was calculated at 4%
BW and adjusted weekly after weighing. All goats
were shorn at the beginning and end of the experiment.
A mid-side sample was collected from each eece for
staple length and mohair diameter analyses. On days
30, 60, 90 and 120 blood was obtained via jugular
venipuncture at 2 h postprandial. Blood was collected
into four 7 ml tubes containing potassium oxalate
sodium uoride, K3 EDTA or sodium heparin (Becton

R. Puchala et al. / Small Ruminant Research 33 (1999) 18

Dickinson, Vacutainer systems Rutherford, NJ). The

tubes were immediately chilled in an ice bath, transported to the laboratory and centrifuged at 1500  g at
48C for 20 min. Plasma aliquots were stored at 558C
until analyses. Ruminal uid samples were obtained
using a stomach tube immediately after blood sampling.
In the last week of the experiment, feces and urine
were collected daily for 5 days from each wether. Each
fecal and urine sample was mixed and a 10% subsample from each collection was bulked over the 5day period. The total amounts of feed offered and
refused by the animals were recorded and subsamples
bulked for subsequent analyses. Samples of feed
ingredients, feed refusals and feces were dried in a
forced-air oven (608C), ground to pass a 2 mm screen
and analyzed for DM, total N, gross energy and ADF.
Samples of urine were freeze-dried prior N to analysis.
Plasma for amino acid estimation (0.45 ml) was
deproteinized using 0.05 ml of 50% (w/v) 5-sulfosalicylic acid with added internal standards (sarcosine
and norvaline). The mixture was vortexed, centrifuged
(1500  g; 48C; 10 min) and placed in sample vials.
Degreased mohair samples (20 mg) were prepared for
amino acid analysis by adding dithiodipropionic acid
solution (to convert cystine to S-(2-carboxyethyltio)L-Cysteine), norvaline and sarcosine (internal standards) and digested in 6N HCl using a microwave
digestion system (MDS 2000; CEM Corp., Matthews,
NC). Amino acid analyses were performed on an
AminoQuant system (Hewlett Pacard, San Fernando,
CA) using precolumn derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde and 9-uorenylmethylchloroformate and UV
detection. Plasma Zn, Mg, Fe and Cu concentrations
were determined using plasma emission spectroscopy
(Applied Research Laboratories, Inc., Dearborn, MI),
according to the method of Seeley and Kinsey (1982).
Plasma glucose concentrations were analyzed colorimetrically using a Sigma glucose diagnostic kit (Catalog No. 315; Sigma Diagnostic, St. Louis, MO). A kit
using an enzymatic method was used to quantify
NEFA (Catalog No 990-75401; Wako Pure Chemical
Industries, Osaka, Japan). Sigma kits (Sigma Diagnostic, St. Louis, MO) were used to determine plasma
creatinine and total protein concentrations. Plasma
urea N was determined as described by Chaney and
Marbach (1962). VFA were analyzed by adding 1 ml
of 25% (w/v) metaphosphoric acid to 5 ml of ruminal

uid. The solution was allowed to stand for 30 min

and then centrifuged for 20 min at 10 000  g. Aliquots of the supernatant were subjected to gas chromatography (Hewlett Packard Co., Avondale, PA)
utilizing a 1.98  4 mm i.d. glass column packed with
15% SP-1200 plus 1% H3PO4 on 100/120 Chromosorb W AW (Supelco, Bellefonte, PA). Staple length
and greasy and clean mohair yields were determined
according to ASTM Standards (American Society for
Testing and Materials, 1988). Fiber diameter was
determined using the Peyer FDA 200 System (Wallerau, Switzerland).
The general linear models procedure of SAS (1990)
was used to analyze data. Data were analyzed as a
completely randomized design with the treatment, sex
and their interaction in the model for feed intake,
performance and mohair growth and characteristics.
There were no effects of sex or the sex  treatment
interaction (P > 0.05). Blood measurements were rst
analyzed as a split-plot in time, although time effects
and time  treatment interactions were nonsignicant
(P > 0.05). Contrasts were conducted for dietary adition of Zn-Met, linear and quadratic effects of nonzero
dietary Zn-Met level and for Zn-Met versus 3 g ZnMet (Steel and Torrie, 1980).
3. Results
Initial BW and feed intake were similar among
treatments (P > 0.1; Table 2). Supplementation of
the diet with Zn-Met (1, 3 and 5 g/day Zn-Met)
increased (P < 0.07) ADG (65.5 versus 55.9 g/day
for control). ADG for goats receiving the ZnO
(120 mg/day Zn) supplement was lower (P < 0.04)
than for goats receiving a similar amount of Zn from
Zn-Met (50.5 versus 62.9 g/day). Zn-Met treatments
had quadratic effects (P < 0.09) on greasy and clean
mohair production (Table 2). Mohair diameter was
similar among groups (P > 0.1); however, staple
length was lower for ZnO than for 3 g/day Zn-Met
(9.5 versus 10.5 cm; P < 0.03). Plasma glucose and
urea concentrations were not affected (P > 0.1) by
dietary treatment Table 3). Supplementation of the
diet with Zn-Met treatments (1, 3 and 5 g/day ZnMet) increased (P < 0.03) plasma Zn concentration
(0.92 versus 0.72 mg/l for control), however no difference in plasma Zn concentration was seen between

R. Puchala et al. / Small Ruminant Research 33 (1999) 18

Table 2
Initial weight, feed intake, ADG and mohair production and quality for Angora goats supplemented with Zn-Met complex or ZnO for 120 days
Item

Initial weight (kg)

Feed intake (kg/day)
ADG (g/day)
Greasy mohair (kg)
Clean mohair (kg)
Diameter (mm)
Length (cm)

Treatmenta

SEM

Control

1 Zn-Met

3 Zn-Met

5 Zn-Met

ZnO

24.0
0.78
55.9
1.84
1.57
29.0
10.3

24.2
0.92
67.0
1.89
1.59
29.8
10.0

24.4
0.85
62.9
1.83
1.51
30.3
10.5

24.0
0.88
66.7
1.94
1.62
29.5
10.0

24.6
0.80
50.5
1.90
1.60
30.0
9.5

1.3
0.06
4.1
0.05
0.04
0.9
0.3

Treatment contrast, P value

Zn-Met,
addition

Zn-Met,
linear

Zn-Met,
quadratic

3 Zn-Met
vs ZnO

0.87
0.52
0.07
0.13
0.13
0.46
0.66

0.86
0.97
0.22
0.90
0.80
0.73
0.47

0.86
0.59
0.49
0.09
0.09
0.28
0.14

0.96
0.69
0.04
0.43
0.21
0.48
0.03

54% concentrate basal diet fed at 4% BW; control no added Zn-Met, ZnO or CuO, 1 Zn-Met 1 g Zn-Met (40 mg Zn, 100 mg
Met) 14 mg CuO, 3 Zn-Met 3 g Zn-Met (120 mg Zn, 300 mg Met) 45 mg CuO, 5 Zn-Met 5 g Zn-Met (200 mg Zn, 500 mg
Met) 75 mg CuO, ZnO 150 mg ZnO (120 mg Zn) 45 mg CuO.

goats receiving the ZnO or goats receiving a similar

amount of Zn from Zn-Met (0.87 versus 0.92 mg/l;
P > 0.10).PlasmaCuconcentrationsweresimilaramong
all treatments. Plasma-essential amino acid concentrations were not affected by dietary treatment (P > 0.1;
values not shown). There were no diet effects on
concentrations of other analyzed blood and ruminal
constituents or DM and N digestibilities (P > 0.1; values
not shown), and the amino acid prole of mohair was
unaffected by treatment (P > 0.1; values not shown).
4. Discussion
4.1. Zn-Met and ZnO
In the present experiment dietary supplementation
of Zn-Met increased ADG. This result is supported by

similar reports of improved animal performance with

Zn-Met supplementation. Spears (1989) reported that
heifers fed a corn-based diet (25 ppm of Zn) supplemented with 25 mg Zn as Zn-Met had higher ADG
than controls. Aguilar and Jordan (1990) and Kellogg
et al. (1989) noted increased milk production by lactating dairy cows as result of dietary Zn-Met supplementation. Although, in some studies Zn-Met has not
altered animal performance. Martin et al. (1987) using
steers and Stobart et al. (1987) using lambs did not
observe differences in ADG or feed efciency between animals fed Zn-Met and those fed control diets.
Similarly, Greene et al. (1988) found similar ADG and
feed efciencies for steers consuming diets with or
without Zn-Met, but this may have involved a relatively
high Zn level in the control diet (i.e., 81 ppm Zn).
Our group receiving ZnO gained BW at the rate
fairly similar to that for Zn-Met treatments up to 80

Table 3
Plasma metabolites concentration for Angora goats supplemented with Zn-Met complex or ZnO for 120 days
Item

Glucose (mg/dl)
Urea N (mg/dl)
Zn (mg/l)
Cu (mg/l)
a

Treatmenta

SEM

Control

1 Zn-Met

3 Zn-Met

5 Zn-Met

ZnO

48.0
10.2
0.72
0.53

49.0
10.3
0.87
0.57

49.7
9.6
0.92
0.65

46.2
8.6
0.97
0.64

49.2
9.6
0.87
0.48

1.1
1.1
0.06
0.05

Treatment contrast, P value

Zn-Met,
addition

Zn-Met,
linear

Zn-Met,
quadratic

3 Zn-Met
vs ZnO

0.70
0.30
0.03
0.13

SNNN0.36
0.42
0.92
0.33

0.47
0.33
0.15
0.16

0.96
0.91
0.56
0.24

54% concentrate basal diet fed at 4% BW, Control no added Zn-Met, ZnO or CuO, 1 Zn-Met 1 g Zn-Met (40 mg Zn, 100 mg
Met) 14 mg CuO, 3 Zn-Met 3 g Zn-Met (120 mg Zn, 300 mg Met) 45 mg CuO, 5 Zn-Met 5 g Zn-Met (200 mg Zn, 500 mg
Met) 75 mg CuO, ZnO 150 mg ZnO (120 mg Zn) 45 mg CuO.

R. Puchala et al. / Small Ruminant Research 33 (1999) 18

Fig. 1. Body weight of Angora goats fed 54% concentrate diet supplemented with: (*) 1 g Zn-Met (40 mg Zn, 100 mg Met) 14 mg CuO,
(*) 3 g Zn-Met (120 mg Zn, 300 mg Met) 45 mg CuO, (r) 5 g Zn-Met (200 mg Zn, 500 mg Met) 75 mg CuO, (~) 150 mg ZnO
(120 mg Zn) 45 mg CuO, (&) no added Zn-Met, ZnO or CuO.

days of the experiment (Fig. 1). However, ADG for

the subsequent 40 days was relatively low and resulted
in lower overall ADG for the ZnO versus 3 g/day ZnMet treatment. This suggests different metabolism of
ZnO and Zn-Met in the body. It is possible that ZnO
elicited a nutrient imbalance that impacted ADG only
during the last 40 days of the experiment. In this
regard, Spears (1989) reported that in lambs fed a
semi-puried diet, urinary excretion of Zn tended to be
lower and plasma Zn decreased to pre-dosing baseline
values at a slower rate for lambs fed a Zn-Metsupplemented diet compared with a diet supplemented
with ZnO.
There were no differences in feed intake as a result
of supplementation either with Zn-Met or ZnO. In
contrast, Hateld et al. (1992, 1995) noticed a tendency for feedlot wethers and pregnant ewes given
diets high in Zn-Met to consume more feed than
animals given a control diet. Feed intake in the present
experiment was set at 4% BW, and this allowed most
animals to leave a small amount of feed each day. This
feeding regime should have unlimited opportunities
for full expression of dietary treatment effects on feed
intake, however, there was no effect of treatments on
feed intake.

4.2. Met
Zn-Met addition to the diet only numerically
increased greasy and clean mohair production, and
mohair production decreased and then increased as
dietary level of Zn-Met was raised. It was expected
that Zn-Met supplementation would signicantly
increase mohair production and(or) ADG due to
increased methionine absorption. Heinrichs and Conrad (1983) reported that Zn-Met is resistant to ruminal
degradation and Hempe and Cousins (1989) reported
that Zn-Met can be transported intact from the intestinal lumen into mucosal cells. Therefore, animals in
the present experiment supplemented with Zn-Met
would have had 14, 30 and 45% more Met available
for utilization compared with control animals, assuming complete ruminal escape and intestinal mucosal
cell entry. In a recent study using skin perfusion in
Angora goats, Puchala et al. (1995) demonstrated that
a 17% increase in the supply of Met to the skin
increased mohair growth. Also, Sahlu and Fernandez
(1992) increased ber production by infusing Met
interperitoneally.
Supplementation with Zn-Met did not increase
plasma Met concentration, despite presumed large

R. Puchala et al. / Small Ruminant Research 33 (1999) 18

increases in Met absorption with Zn-Met supplementation. The lack of increase in plasma Met implies that
potential for tissue utilization of Met was not
exceeded, assuming high or complete ruminal escape
and intestinal absorption of Met supplied by Zn-Met.
Based on observations of Puchala et al. (1995); Sahlu
and Fernandez (1992), it can be concluded that dietary
Zn-Met inclusion was not as effective as Met provided
by skin perfusion or interperitoneal infusion in
increasing mohair production.
4.3. Zn
Effects of dietary Zn supplementation, regardless of
form, depend on the animal's nutrient status, particularly of minerals and protein. For example, increasing
the dietary Zn concentration from 4.8 to 26.5 mg/kg
increased daily wool growth from 0.74 to 1.3 mg/cm3
when the dietary CP concentration was increased from
6.3 to 18.8% but not with the dietary CP level held
constant at 12.2% (Masters, 1984). Thus, the xed
dietary CP concentration in the present experiment
may have limited the opportunity for effects of
increasing dietary Zn on ber growth.
The NRC (1981) states that the marginal dietary
level of Zn for goats is 2033 mg/kg, as compared
with 22 mg/kg of Zn in the control diet of the present
experiment. However, reports such as of Masters
(1984); White et al. (1994) suggest a lower Zn requirement than given by NRC (1981). For example, White
et al. (1994) noted similar feed intake and growth rate
among Merino sheep consuming diets containing 10,
17 or 27 mg/kg Zn, although, wool growth rate was the
lowest for the 10 mg/kg Zn diet. Overall, it appears
that Zn concentration in the control diet of present
experiment was at least marginal or adequate, which
could have minimized potential for responses in ADG
or mohair growth due to change in Zn status. In
accordance, supplementation with Zn increased its
concentration in plasma regardless of form of added
Zn (1, 3, 5 g/day Zn-Met or ZnO). Likewise, Grace
and Lee (1992) found that high Zn intake had no effect
on eece weight, ber strength or ber diameter.
Moreover, White et al. (1994) suggested that a plasma
Zn concentration of 0.5 mg/l supports normal wool
growth in Merino sheep, whereas the mean plasma
concentration of Zn in control animals of the present
experiment was above value recommended by cited

authors. In available literature there is no information

concerning inuence of Zn on either mohair or cashmere growth; therefore, it was assumed that data
concerning wool growth can be used for comparison
and reference.
By analyzing both ADG and mohair growth data it
can be suggested that supplementation of 1 g Zn-Met
may offer little potential to improve animal production. In this experiment benecial effects of Zn-Met
was probably due to form of Zn provided rather than
changes in Met metabolism. It was observed by Sahlu
and Fernandez (1992); Puchala et al. (1995); Pierzynowski et al. (1997) that Met signicantly increased
mohair production when Angora goats were fed diets
similar to those used in the present experiment. In this
experiment there was no linear response in ADG or
mohair production due to Met provided in the form of
Zn-Met and the response of mohair growth to Zn-Met
was relatively low compared to that observed with Met
supplementation (Sahlu and Fernandez, 1992; Puchala
et al., 1995).
4.4. Cu and Zn
Purser (1979) presented evidence that both Cu and
Zn are required directly in the process of ber growth,
and deciencies of these minerals can have dramatic
effects on wool growth. Rojas et al. (1995) reported
that supplementation of a sheep diet with different Zn
sources (Zn-Met, Zn-Lys, ZnS04 and ZnO) decreased
serum Cu concentration; therefore, it was decided to
include a small amount of CuO in supplements in the
present experiment. In our experiment Cu concentration in the basal diet was low (5.3 ppm) compared with
70 ppm of Cu in basal diet used by Rojas et al. (1995)
which exclude Cu as a possible cause of low efciency
of Zn-Met supplementation. Plasma Cu concentration
was not affected by treatment, which indicates that
added Cu did not affect goat metabolism.
5. Conclusions
Dietary inclusion of supplemental Zn-Met, regardless of level, increased ADG in yearling Angora goats,
but only numerically increased mohair production
with a basal diet adequate in Zn. ADG was greater
for goats supplemented with the same quantity of Zn

R. Puchala et al. / Small Ruminant Research 33 (1999) 18

in the form of Zn-Met versus ZnO, even though

plasma Zn concentration was similar. In conclusion,
with a 11.2% CP, Zn-adequate diet, 1 g Zn-Met may
offer little potential to improve ber production by
Angora goats.
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by CSREES Project
No. OKLX 2000-01. Authors wish to thank the farm
crew at the E (Kika) de la Garza Institute for Goat
Research for animal care and the Central Laboratory
Unit for help in laboratory analyses.
References
Aguilar, A.A., Jordan, C.D., 1990. Effects of zinc methionine
supplementation in high producing Holstein cows early in
lactation. Proc. 29th Annual Meeting National Mastitis
Council, p. 187.
American Society for Testing and Materials, 1988. Annual Book of
ASTM Standards. Standard Test Method D2130. Wool Content
of raw wool laboratory scale, Philadelphia, PA.
Benevenga, N.J., Radcliffe, B.C., Egan, A.R., 1983. Tissue
metabolism of methionine in sheep. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 36,
475485.
Black, J.L., Reis, P.J., 1979. Speculation on the control of nutrient
partition between wool growth and other body functions. In:
Black, J.L., Reis, P.J. (Eds.), Physiological and Environmental
Limitations to Wool Growth et al. Environmental Limitations to
Wool Growth, University of New England, Armidale, pp. 269
293.
Chaney, A.L., Marbach, E.P., 1962. Modified reagents for
determination of urea and ammonia. Clin. Chem. 8, 130136.
Cobon, D.H., Suter, G.R., Connelly, P.T., Shepherd, R.K., Hopkins,
P.S., 1988. The residual effects of methionine supplementation
on the wool growth performance in grazing sheep. Proc. Aust.
Soc. Anim. Prod. 17, 383389.
Grace, N.D., Lee, J., 1992. Influence of high zinc intakes, season,
and staple site on the elemental composition of wool and fleece
quality in grazing sheep. N. Z. J. Agric. Res. 35, 367373.
Greene, L.W., Lunt, D.K., Byers, F.M., Chirase, N.K., Richmond,
C.E., Knutson, R.E., Schelling, G.T., 1988. Performance and
carcass quality of steers supplemented with zinc oxide or zinc
methionine. J. Anim. Sci. 66, 18181823.
Hatfield, P.G., Snowder, G.D., Glimp, H.A., 1992. The effects of
chelated zinc methionine on feedlot lamb performance, cost of
gain and carcass characteristics. Sheep. Res. J. 8, 19.
Hatfield, P.G., Snowder, G.D., Head Jr, W.A., Glimp, H.A., Stobart,
R.H., Besser, T., 1995. Production by ewes rearing single or
twin lambs: effects of dietary crude protein percentage and
supplemental zinc methionine. J. Anim. Sci. 73, 12271238.

Hempe, J.M., Cousins, R.J., 1989. Effect of EDTA and zincmethionine complex on zinc absorption by rat intestine. J. Nutr.
119(8), 11791187.
Heinrichs, A.J., Conrad, H.R., 1983. Rumen solubility and
breakdown of metal proteinate compounds. J. Dairy Sci. 66
(Suppl. 1) 147.
Kellogg, D.W., Rakes, J.M., Gliedt, D.W., 1989. Effect of zinc
methionine supplementation on performance and selected
blood parameters of lactating dairy cows. Nutr. Rep. Int. 40,
10491055.
Martin, J.J., Strasia, C.A., Gill, D.R., Hicks, R.A., Ridenour, K.,
Dolezal, D., Owens, F.N., 1987. Effect of zinc methionine on
live performance and carcass merit of feedlot steers. J. Anim.
Sci. 65 (Suppl. 1) 500.
Masters, D.G., 1984. Zinc in wool and the assessment of zinc
nutrition in sheep. Proc. Nutr. Soc. Aust. 9, 184187.
NRC, 1981. Nutrient Requirements of Goats. Natl. Acad. Sci.,
Washington, DC, pp. 212.
Pierzynowski, S.G., Puchala, R., Sahlu, T., 1997. Effects of
dipeptide administered to a perfused area of the skin in Angora
goats. J. Anim. Sci. 75, 30523056.
Puchala, R., Pierzynowski, S.G., Sahlu, T., Hart, S.P., 1995. Effects
of amino acids administered to a perfused area of the skin in
Angora goats. J. Anim. Sci. 73, 565570.
Purser, D.B., 1979. Effects of minerals upon wool growth. In:
Black, J.L., Reis, P.J. (Eds.), Physiological and Environmental
Limitations to Wool Growth, University of New England,
Armidale, pp. 243255.
Radclife, B.C., Egan, A.R., 1978. The effect of diet and of
methionine loading on activity of enzymes in the transulfuration pathway in sheep. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 31, 105114.
Reis, P.J., 1989. The influence of absorbed nutrients on wool
growth. In: Rogers, G.E., Reis, P.J., Ward, K.A., Marshall, R.C.
(Eds.), The Biology of Wool and Hair, Chapman and Hall,
London, pp. 185203.
Reis, P.J., Sahlu, T., 1994. The nutritional control of the growth and
properties of mohair and wool fibres: a comparative review. J.
Anim. Sci. 72, 18991906.
Reis, P.J., Tunks, D.A., 1978. Effect on wool growth of the infusion
of mixtures of amino acids into the abomasum of sheep. J.
Agric. Sci. 90, 173182.
Reis, P.J., Tunks, D.A., Munro, S.G., 1990. Effects of the infusion
of amino acids into the abomasum of sheep, with emphasis on
the relative value of methionine, cystine and homocysteine for
wool growth. J. Agric. Sci. 114, 5967.
Rojas, L.X., McDowell, L.R., Cousins, R.J., Martin, F.G.,
Wilkinson, N.S., Johnson, A.B., Velasquez, J.B., 1995. Relative
bioavailability of two organic and two inorganic zinc sources
fed to sheep. J. Anim. Sci. 73, 12021207.
Sahlu, T., Fernandez, J.M., 1992. Effect of intraperitoneal
administration of lysine and methionine on mohair yield and
quality in Angora goats. J. Anim. Sci. 70, 31883194.
SAS, 1990. SAS User's Guide, Release 6.03 ed. SAS Institute,
Cary, NC, pp. 210264.
Seeley, R.C., Kinsey, W.J., 1982. The determination of trace elements
in whole blood by DC plasma emission spectroscopy. Spectra
Metrics/Beckman Instruments, Haverhill, MA, pp. 215.

R. Puchala et al. / Small Ruminant Research 33 (1999) 18

Spears, J.W., 1989. Zinc methionine for ruminants: relative

bioavailability of zinc in lambs and effects of growth and
performance of growing heifers. J. Anim. Sci. 67, 835843.
Steel, R.G.D., Torrie, J.A., 1980. Principles and Procedures of
Statistics. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, pp. 84126.
Stobart, R.H., Medeivors, D., Riley, M., Russell, W.C., 1987.
Effects of zinc methionine supplementation on feedlot

performance, carcass characteristics and serum profiles of

lambs. J. Anim. Sci. 65 (Suppl. 1) 500.
White, C.L., Martin, G.B., Hynd, P.I., Chapman, R.E., 1994. The
effect of zinc deficiency on wool growth and skin and wool
follicle histology of male Merino lambs. Br. J. Nutr. 71, 425
435.