Iron-deficiency anemia in mink fed raw marine fish. A five year study
Ender, F.; Dishington, I.; Madsen, R.; Helgebostad, A.
Fortschritte in der Tierphysiologie und Tierernahrung 1972(2): 1-46
1972
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-570X PMID: 4680737 Document Number: 17
Of various trimethylamines normally present in raw sea fish, trimethylamine oxide (triox) is the only anemiogenic factor. The conclusion that triox has properties that cause anemia in mink is based an a large number of feeding experiments. The detrimental effect of triox is explained by its oxidizing power, by which food iron is converted into insoluble iron oxide-hydroxides, which are not available for normal hemoglobin formation in mink. The fact that inorganic iron, both ferrous and ferric, are more closely bound to raw fish than to boiled fish should be taken into account when comparing the great differente between raw and boiled fish regarding their anemiogenic properties. The fate of trimethylamine oxide and its metabolism in various animal species, including human beings, has been briefly discussed. The in vitro studies described in this Paper clearly demonstrate that the detrimental oxidizing power of trimethylamine oxide, which precipitates insoluble iron oxidehydroxides in aqueous solution of ferrous sulphate, could be effectively avoided by using a special inhibitor or an alleviating substance. The effect of these has been examined by a rough visual test and more exactly by quantitative measurements. A relatively large number of organic substances belonging to amino acids, peptides, nucleic acids and ordinary organic acids are found to have protective properties in this reactive pattern. The inhibitory effect of the said substances has been tested in feeding experiments an mink, and the results of these experiments are described in the following paper, Part III. In a series of feeding experiments conducted during the years 1967-71 with altogether 670 adult female mink and 2814 mink kits the authors have proved that the anemiogenic effect of feeding raw coal-fish to mink can be eliminated by supplementing the raw-fish diet with organic iron compounds prepared from amino acids, nucleic acids and common organic acids. A prophylactic effect was also observed for special amino acids and organic acids. The excellent prophylactic and curative antianemic effect of various iron chelates is demonstrated in more than 6800 hemoglobin (Hb) observations. Supplementing the raw coal-fish diet with ferric glutamate in doses from 5 to 10 mg Fe daily, gave normal Hb values in mink during the breeding, lactation and growing period up to pelting time. Dosage of ferric glutamate resulted in a low mortality rate in kits and excellent fur qualities in guard-fur as well as in under-fur with no signs of the "cotton fur" anomaly. It is concluded from the data presented in this Paper that the fish induced anemia in mink can be totally prevented as well as cured by the addition of various iron chelates to a raw coal-fish diet.
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