FOOD, FLUORIDE, AND FLUOROSIS IN DOMESTIC RUMINANTS IN THE DUNGARPUR DISTRICT OF RAJASTHAN, INDIA

• Published in: Fluoride Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 70 - 76
• Main Authors: Choubisa, S L, Mishra, G V, Sheikh, Z, Bhardwaj, B, Mali, P, Jaroli, V J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.06.2011
• Subjects: India, Rajasthan; India
• ISSN: 0015-4725

Toxic effects of chronic fluoride (F) exposure in the form of osteo-dental fluorosis were observed in domestic ruminants in the Dungarpur district of Rajasthan, India. These animals included cattle (Bos taurus), buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), camels (Camelus dromedarius), sheep (Ovis aries), and goats (Capra hircus) inhabiting areas having about the same mean 1.5-1.7 ppm F concentration in the drinking water. Evidence of osteo-dental fluorosis was present mostly in the mature animals but varied widely, with the highest prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis in mature ruminants being 55.9% and 48.3%, respectively, among 288 buffaloes, followed by 48.0% and 39.8% in 392 cattle, 10.7% and 8.4% in 356 goats, 7.3% and 5.6% in 248 sheep, and 5.3% and 5.3% in 38 camels. Among immature ruminants, osteo-dental fluorosis was not observed among 34 goats, 28 sheep, and 12 camels. However, among 43 immature cattle and 37 buffalo calves, the dental and skeletal fluorosis rates were 51.1% and 18.6% and 62.2% and 21.6%, respectively. Such variations of F toxicity in these ruminants may be due to differences in F exposure and ameliorating factors, such as differences in the levels of calcium, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and other protective nutrients found naturally in their food. Additional factors causing variation in fluorotoxicosis may also be involved.