Reduced cadmium body burden in cadmium-exposed calves fed supplemental zinc

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the use of practical supplemental dietary zinc to modify the cadmium content in edible bovine tissues and to identify copper interactions with cadmium and zinc. The effect of supplemental zinc (200 or 600 micrograms/g) on the concentrations of cadmium, zinc, and copper in liver, kidney cortex, muscle, and blood of calves fed 50 micrograms/g cadmium for 60 days was evaluated. Blood samples were collected before and eight times after starting to feed cadmium or cadmium plus zinc. Liver, kidney, and muscle samples were collected when calves were slaughtered (baseline, at beginning of experimental feeding; cadmium-fed, at end of 60 days feeding). The cadmium concentrations of all sample types collected were markedly increased by the feeding of cadmium. Feeding 600 micrograms/g supplemental zinc significantly increased the zinc concentrations of liver, kidney cortex, and blood and decreased the cadmium accumulation in these organs as well as muscle. The copper concentrations of muscle or blood were not altered by feeding cadmium with or without zinc but those of liver and kidney cortex were significantly increased by higher dietary levels of zinc and cadmium. The potential use of dietary zinc salts in reducing cadmium body burden in food animals suspected or known to have high cadmium intakes is suggested.