Assessment of ruminal hydrogen sulfide or urine thiosulfate as diagnostic tools for sulfur induced polioencephalomalacia in cattle

• Published in: Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation 2012-07, Vol.24 (4), p.702-709
• Main Authors: Drewnoski, Mary E, Beitz, Don C, Ensley, Steve M, Schoonmaker, Joh P, Loy, Dan D, Imerman, Paula M, Rathje, John A, Hansen, Stephanie l
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; blood; cannulas; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - chemically induced; Cattle Diseases - diagnosis; Cattle Diseases - metabolism; Cattle Diseases - urine; diet; Encephalomalacia - diagnosis; Encephalomalacia - metabolism; Encephalomalacia - urine; Encephalomalacia - veterinary; hydrogen sulfide; Hydrogen Sulfide - metabolism; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Male; Random Allocation; rumen; Rumen - metabolism; sodium sulfate; steers; Sulfates - administration & dosage; Sulfates - metabolism; Sulfates - toxicity; Sulfhemoglobin - analysis; sulfur; Thiosulfates - urine; Triticum aestivum; urine; wheat
• ISSN: 1040-6387; 1943-4936
• DOI: 10.1177/1040638712448655

To determine if ruminal hydrogen sulfide, urine thiosulfate, or blood sulfhemoglobin could be used as diagnostic indicators for sulfur-induced polioencephalomalacia, 16 steers (8 cannulated, 368 +/- 12 kg; 8 unmodified, 388 +/- 10 kg; mean ± standard error) were fed 1 of 2 dietary treatments. Diets consisted of a low sulfate (0.24% S; control) wheat midd-based pellet or the control pellet with sodium sulfate added to achieve a high-sulfate (0.68% S) pellet. As designed, intake did not differ (P = 0.80) between treatments. At 8 hr postfeeding, ruminal hydrogen sulfide was not affected by cannulation (P = 0.35) but was greater (P < 0.01) in high S (6,005 +/- 475 mg/l) than control (1,639 +/- 472 mg/l) steers. Time of day of sampling affected (P = 0.01) ruminal hydrogen sulfide, with peak concentrations occurring 4-12 hr after feeding. Urine was collected prefeeding (AM) and 7-9 hr postfeeding (PM). Urine thiosulfate concentrations of high S steers sampled in the PM were greater (P > 0.01) than in the AM. However, there was no difference due to time of sampling for control. In both the AM and PM, urine thiosulfate concentrations of high S were greater (P > 0.01) than control. Although hydrogen sulfide and thiosulfate were elevated by increased dietary S intake, a concentration at which polioencephalomalacia is likely to occur could not be determined. Sampling urine for thiosulfate or rumen gas for hydrogen sulfide of nonsymptomatic pen mates 4-8 hr after feeding may be useful to assess sulfur exposure and differentiate between causes of polioencephalomalacia.