Weanling Landrace X Yorkshire swine were fed a basal diet or a diet containing 3%
clinoptilolite (a natural
zeolite) with or without 150 ppm
CdCl2 or 3%
zeolite NaA (a synthetic
zeolite) with or without 150 ppm
CdCl2 for 31 days. Hematocrit and
hemoglobin were depressed significantly in animals fed Cd in the absence of
zeolites, but not in their presence. Liver Cd concentration was increased dramatically by added dietary Cd but was significantly lower in animals fed
clinoptilolite with Cd than in those fed Cd alone (11.4 vs 16.5 ppm). Liver Fe and Zn were decreased by dietary Cd; liver Fe was not affected significantly by
clinoptilolite or
zeolite NaA, but liver Zn was increased by
zeolite NaA. Kidney dry matter, Zn, and Cd concentrations were increased by dietary Cd; neither
clinoptilolite nor
zeolite NaA affected kidney Cd concentration.
Zeolite NaA increased kidney dry matter both in the presence and in the absence of dietary Cd. Plasma
urea-N, K, Na, and Mg were unaffected by Cd or by either
zeolite. The data illustrate the different effects of dietary
clinoptilolite compared with
zeolite NaA on blood plasma, liver, and kidney concentrations of minerals and provide evidence that both
zeolites offer some protection against Cd-induced Fe-deficiency
anemia; the magnitude of this protection and the effects of each
zeolite on tissue concentrations of Cd and other materials need further quantification.