ANN 111: Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology (2+1)

Function of minerals

FUNCTIONS OF MINERALS

• The main structural components of bones and teeth are to give rigidity and strength eg. calcium and phosphorus
• Magnesium, fluorine, silicon in bones and teeth also contribute to the mechanical stability of the body.
• Small fractions of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus and most of the sodium, potassium and chloride in the body fluid and in the soft tissues acts as electrolytes.
• Electrolytes in body fluids like blood and cerebrospinal fluid helps to 
  • maintain acid – base balance and osmotic pressure.
  • regulate membrane permeability.
  • exert characteristic effect on the excitability of muscles and nerves.
• Salts in the saliva, gastric and intestinal juices and rumen fluid are appropriate medium for the action of enzymes and growth of microbes.
• Essential trace elements are integral part of or components of certain enzymes.
  • Example:

Element	Enzyme
Copper	Cytochrome oxidase
Zinc	Carbonic anhydrase
Selenium	Glutathione peroxidase

• Trace elements are also components of biologically important compounds – such as
  • Iron in haemoglobin
  • Cobalt in vitamin B₁₂
  • Iodine in the hormone thyroxine
• Trace elements also function as activators of enzymes.