The study comprised 104 adults buffaloes, without distinction of race and sex, reared extensively, without supplementation, in native pastures of low nutritional quality, in the municipalities of Breves, Cachoeira do Arari, Salvaterra and Soure, Marajo Island, Pará. Samples of liver, bone and blood were collected from 26 animals in the municipality of Salvaterra, from 38 animals in the municipality of Soure, from 20 animals in the municipality of Breves and from 20 animals in the municipality of Cachoeira do Arari. Determination of the levels of phosphorus in the blood serum and bone ash, and of the specific gravity of bone, and of cobalt, copper and zinc in liver tissue were performed. The average phosphorus concentrations in blood serum (6.26mg/dl) and bone (10.77%), the percentage of ash (60.87%) and specific gravity (1.59g/ml) of bone were lower than the critical levels established for cattle, characterizing phosphorus deficiency. The average concentrations of copper (5.57ppm) and zinc (27.05ppm) was considered low when compared with reference values, characterizing deficiency for these elements. In the case of cobalt when considering the detectable and undetectable values by the methodology, it was observed that 51.92% of the animals had levels below the reference, indicating the occurrence of cobalt deficiency in these animals. It is emphasized that the deficiencies of copper and zinc were the most severe since all animals studied showed deficient levels of these elements.
Phosphorus; copper; cobalt; zinc; buffaloes; Marajo Island
