Intake and excretion of water in reindeer - effects of supplements of potassium and bentonite
Authors: Åhman Birgitta 
Published: February 2013

<p>Supplements of potassium and bentonite are used to reduce absorption and increase excretion of radiocesium in reindeer. In a feeding experiment with 6 reindeer calves the effects of these supplements on water consumption and water excretion were measured. The experiment was made in three separate parts. During the first part (period I) the reindeer were fed pellets. Two reindeer god not supplements, two got 15 g K/day and two got 15 g K and 80 g bentonite/day. Supplements of K about doubled both the consumption of water and the excretion of urine. Bentonite gave no additional effect. During a period of 5 days all the reindeer were given 180 g of bentonite/day. The animals had trouble keeping their body temperature and the appetite went down. During period II the reindeer ate lichens in combination with pellets. Two reindeer got no supplements. Two got 23 g bentonite/day and two got 46 g/day. The average intake of water was not affected. Intake of water and excretion of urine was higher during collecting periods in three of the reindeer that had received bentonite. In period II the reindeer fed pellets and supplements of 23 g or 46 g of bentonite/day. The average water consumption was not affected. The intake of water and excretion of urine during collecting periods was higher in two of the three animals that had received the higher amount of bentonite. Supplements of 1% potassium or 3% of bentonite when feeding reindeer for slaughter should not cause any problems if fresh drinking water is available. The supplements cannot be recommended to reindeer on pasture in late winter and early spring.</p><p>Intag och utsondring av vatten hos renar vid utfodring med foder inneh&aring;llande tillsatser av kalium eller bentonit.</p><p>Abstract in Swedish / Sammanfattning: Tillskott av kalium och bentonit anv&aring;nds for att minska upptaget och oka utsondringen av radioaktivt cesium hos renar. I ett utfodringsforsok med 6 renkalvar testades ocks&aring; dessa tillsatsers effekt p&aring; intaget och utsondringen av vatten. Forsoket utfordes i tre delar. Under forst&aring; delen (period I) fick renarna pelleterat foder. Tv&aring; renar fick inget tillskott, tv&aring; fick 15 g K/dag och tv&aring; 15 g K + 80 g bentonit/kg. K okade vattenforbrukningen och urinutson-dringen till ungef&aring;r det dubbla. Bentoniten gav ingen ytterligare effekt. Under 5 dagar fick samtliga renar ett tillskott av 180 g bentonit per dag. Vattenkonsumtionen okade mycket kraftigt. Renarna hade sv&aring;rt att h&aring;lla kroppstemperaturen och aptiten minskade. Under period II fick renarna lav i kombination med pellets. Tv&aring; renar fick inget tillskott, tv&aring; fick 23 g bento-nit/dag och tv&aring; fick 46 g/dag. Det genomsnittliga vattenintaget under perioden p&aring;verkades inte n&aring;mnv&aring;rt av bentonittillskottet. Vattenintaget och urinutsondringen var dock mycket hog under uppsamlingsperioderna hos tre av de renar som f&aring;tt bentonit. Under period III fick renarna &aring;ter enbart pellets. Tre renar fick 23 g bentonit/dag och tre fick 46 g. Den genomsnittliga vattenkonsumtionen p&aring;verkades inte. Vattenintaget och urinutsondringen under uppsamlingsperioderna var hogre for tv&aring; av de renar som f&aring;tt den storre m&aring;ngden bentonit. Tillsatser av 1% kalium eller 3% bentonit vid utfodring av slaktren bor inte orsaka problem om man ser till att renarna har tillg&aring;ng till vatten. Tillsatserna kan inte rekommenderas vid tillskottsutfodring av livren under v&aring;rvintern.</p>