Zinc concentrations in skimmed milk and whole milk samples from healthy and mastitic cows.

Zinc concentrations were determined in skimmed milk and whole milk samples from healthy and mastitic cows. During spontaneous and induced mastitis, a marked decrease of Zn concentration in skimmed milk from the mastitic quarters was observed. Seemingly, there are 2 mechanisms involved in the lowering of Zn concentration in skimmed milk from mastitic quarters: a decline in Zn probably as a consequence of decreases in plasma Zn concentrations and an abrupt redistribution of Zn in the inflamed quarters.