Doenças carenciais causadas por deficiência mineral em ovinos

Abstract

Sheep farming is one of the most important economic activities of the northeastern semi-arid region and has been gaining a great deal of space in Brazilian livestock farming. In spite of the great growth, this activity finds an important nutritional barrier, caused by the mineral deficiency, causing mainly the animals raised in extensive systems. The minerals are correlated with the development and production of the animals. The lack or imbalance of these entails low productive performance. These elements make up structures of biomolecules, interfere with growth and maintenance of tissues, participate as enzymatic cofactors, activate hormonal actions, regulate osmotic pressure and acid-base balance. However, food does not always present the necessary amounts of minerals, making it insufficient for the animal to express its production potential, requiring supplementation to correct this deficit. Strategies must be taken to meet the mineral needs of these animals, when there is a lack of this requirement, the animal's metabolism triggers a series of alterations directly affecting its development. Therefore, this review aims to show the functions, deficiencies and main diseases caused by mineral deficiency. As well as seek to propose how to do an ideal supplementation, thus minimizing future problems in production.