Efficacy of cobalt pellets for providing cobalt for penned sheep

Abstract

Cobalt pellets introduced into the rumens of sheep, either singly or accompanied by an abrasive steel grinder or by a second pellet, have been shown to be equally as effective, over a period of more than 5 years, as a supplement of 1 mg Co/day per os in maintaining health, body weight, and adequate concentrations of vitamin B₁₂ in liver and serum of sheep fed on a cobalt-deficient ration in pens.

Comparison of the weight losses of pellets recovered from the rumens in which they were carried, either singly or together with another heavy object, and studies with pellets containing ⁶⁰Co have shown that release of cobalt from a pellet which is accompanied by an abrading device is significantly greater than when a single pellet is carried in the rumen.

Increase of the calcium acetate content of the diet increased the rate of release of cobalt from the pellet.