IODINE IN DAIRY CATTLE: A REVIEW

Abstract

This review should provide more information about the importance of iodine in dairy cattle, since milk is considered as valuable source of iodine in newborn animal nutrition and in recent years in human nutrition. Iodine is an essential element for thyroid gland function and it is incorporated into the thyroid hormones, which play key role in energy metabolism, growth and brain development. Iodine also exert multiple and complex actions on many organs that capture it, not including its effects as part of thyroid hormones. Therefore, the adequate iodine bioavailability and optimal feed intake in dairy cattle is of pivotal importance for optimal iodine concentration in milk. Its concentrations in milk may be variable as it is influenced by many factors: iodine intake in feed, iodine forms used for feeding, iodine supplementation of feed, presence of goitrogenic substances and its ratio in animal feed, milk yield, seasonal fluctuations and also farm management.