Iodine status of crossbred cattle from Shiwalik and middle mountains of north-west Himalayas

Abstract

Base-line survey was conducted in the Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir state involving 6 districts under different agro-climatic zones to know the iodine status of crossbred (taurus×indicus) cattle. Plasma blood samples (252) were collected from crossbred cattle of different age groups from 60 villages. Plasma inorganic iodine (PII) along with thyroid hormones estimation was done. Average value of PII, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) in cattle were 0.63±0.11nmol/l and 58.10±4.21 nmol/l, respectively. Sub-clinical iodine deficiency was observed in 91.66% animals as 44.44% crossbred cattle were marginally deficient having plasma inorganic iodine (PII) levels 50–104.90 ng/l and 47.22% animals were having low levels (<50 ng/ml) of PII thus indicating dietary deficiency of iodine. Triiodothyronine and thyroxine levels were poorly related to iodine status thus indicated that thyroid hormones are not the true index of sub-clinical deficiency.