Iron and Manganese in Forage from Icelandic Sheep Farms and Scrapie
Author Information
Author(s): Gudmundsdóttir KB, Sigurdarson S, Kristinsson J, Eiríksson T, Jóhannesson T
Primary Institution: Institute for Experimental Pathology, University of Iceland
Hypothesis
Is there a connection between the amounts of iron in forage and the occurrence of scrapie in Icelandic sheep?
Conclusion
Forage from scrapie-afflicted farms contained significantly more iron and less manganese than forage from scrapie-free and scrapie-prone farms.
Supporting Evidence
- The mean iron concentration in forage from scrapie-afflicted farms was significantly higher than in other categories.
- The mean Fe/Mn ratio was significantly higher in forage from scrapie-afflicted farms.
- High levels of iron in forage may influence the occurrence of clinical scrapie.
Takeaway
This study found that sheep farms with scrapie had more iron in their forage, which might be linked to the disease.
Methodology
Forage samples were collected from 47 farms and analyzed for iron and manganese concentrations.
Limitations
The number of samples from scrapie-afflicted farms was relatively small for statistical analysis.
Participant Demographics
Samples were collected from 47 sheep farms categorized by their scrapie status.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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