Vanadium metabolism in sheep. I. Comparative and acute toxicity of vanadium compounds in sheep.

Twelve Florida native wethers were given ammonium metavandate, calcium orthovanadate and calcium pyrovanadate by capsule in a study to examine the toxicity of the compounds. The initial daily dosage of 100 mg elemental vanadium was increased by 50 mg at 2-d intervals for an assessment not only of the toxic effects, but also to determined the amount that caused a decline in feed intake to 25% of that of control animals. The initial decline in feed intake was observed at 400 to 500 mg vanadium/d (9.6 to 12 mg/kg body weight, 310 to 350 ppm); a rapid decline in feed intake was accompanied by diarrhea. One sheep fed 550 mg vanadium as calcium orthovanadate died 3 d after dosing. One animal on each of the other three treatments was killed and necropsied for immediate comparison. Extensive mucosal hemorrhage of the small intestine and diffuse or petechial subcapsular hemorrhages of the kidneys were observed for sheep fed all compounds. The three vanadium compounds appeared to be similar in toxicity, as determined by abrupt declines in feed intake and pathological changes of the intestine and kidney. For a determination of acute toxicosis, three sheep were given 40 mg/kg body weight of vanadium as NH4VO3 in gelatin capsules and two sheep were included as controls. Two of the treated animals died within 80 h after administration and the other three were killed at 96 h. Vanadium content of kidney, liver, bone, spleen, lung and muscle was elevated by treatment.