1. Sulfur from Feed and Water: Required and Toxic
Chris Richards
Beef Cattle Extension Specialist
Stillwater

2. Natural Occurrence and Processing
Widely distributed in nature
Ores
Gypsum, barite, epsom salts
Mineral springs
Occurs with:
Coal, petroleum, natural gas
Soils, water, plants and animals

3. Sulfur in Nutrition
Distributed widely throughout body and is found in all cells
Bulk of body sulfur found in sulfur containing amino acids and proteins
Represents ~ % total body weight
Some sulfate recycled via saliva to rumen
Excreted primarily in urine

4. Sulfur-Containing Amino Acids
Microbes of the ruminant can use inorganic sulfur to synthesize sulfur amino acids and vitamins
Methionine
Essential amino acid
Cysteine
Cystine
Taurine
Homocysteine
Cystathionine
Met is a dietary essential amino acid for monogastrics.
Cysteine and Cystine can be synthesized from Met and are used for the synthesis of many other compounds such as hormones.
Taurine from Cysteine aids in production of bile acids for digestion and in vision functions.
Met, Cysteine, and Cystine provide the bulk of sulfur needed for synthesis of other sulfur containing compounds.
Sulfur containing amino acids are components of virtually all proteins.
(Usually .6 to .8% of the proteins.)
As sulfur is normally present as part of these amino acids and numerous compounds, the requirement for pure sulfur has not been determined for most species.

5. Sulfur 0.15% = requirement 0.40% = toxicity
We also evaluated the effects of high sulfate water on steers grazing native range
during the summer in western South Dakota. In 2001, steers grazing range from May to
September that received water with an average sulfate level of 3900 ppm gained 0.2 lb per
day less than steers that received water with 400 ppm sulfate. In 2002, steers grazing range
from May to July that received water with an average sulfate level of 4600 ppm gained 0.6 lb
per day less that steers receiving water with 400 ppm sulfates. Across both years, we
documented a few cases of PEM in the stocker steers receiving the high sulfate water, but no
steers died from the disorder.
In 2003, we evaluated the impacts of sulfates in water to cow-calf pairs. Ninety-six
May-calving cows grazed in one of six pastures from June 3 to August 26. Cows in each
pasture were provided with either low or high sulfate water (3 pastures for each water
treatment) in aluminum stock tanks. The low sulfate water was from the local rural water
system and averaged 400 ppm sulfates. The high sulfate water was created by adding sodium
sulfate to rural water, and it averaged 2600 ppm sulfates (individual pasture averages ranged
from 2380 to 2860 ppm sulfates). Cows on the high sulfate water lost 36 pounds whereas
those on the low sulfate water gained 10 pounds. Calf average daily gain was not different
between treatments (2.33 lb/d versus 2.38 lb/d for low and high sulfate, respectively). Milk
production, estimated by the weigh-suckle-weigh technique in July and August, was not
different between treatments. Pregnancy rates were not different between treatments (94 and
95% for low and high sulfate, respectively), and no cases of PEM were observed.
Water with elevated sulfates reduced performance in grazing steers and cows

6. Feed Sulfur Concentration
Average
Range
Alfalfa hay
0.28
0.21 – 0.54
Corn grain
0.13
0.11 – 0.17
WDG plus sol.
0.44
0.35 – 0.90
Condensed distillers solubles
0.40
1.00 – 2.23
Corn gluten feed
0.47
0.40 – 0.75
Soybean meal
0.46
0.35 – 0.60
Molasses
0.6
0.4 – 1.00

7. Water Salts Impacts palatability
carbonate, bicarbonates, sulfates, nitrates, chlorides, phosphates, fluorides
Impacts palatability

8. Estimated Daily Water Intake of Cattle Gal/Day

9. Water vs Feed Consumption
Ex. 1,000 lb steer or 1400 pound lactating cow
1,000 ppm of contaminant
20 Gal water consumed
167 lb of water
75 g of contaminant or
2.7 oz contaminant
Up to 6x impact of feed concentrations

10. TDS for Cattle if S is potentialWe
use TDS as a screen because we can easily estimate TDS with an electroconductivity meter.
These rather inexpensive meters can be used to determine if a sample needs to be submitted
to the laboratory for a livestock suitability test (especially sulfate). Extension offices in
South Dakota will screen water for free using the meters. We recommend sending water
with greater than an estimated 3000 ppm in TDS to the laboratory for testing. It is important
to note that the critical levels of TDS in water may change, depending on how much of the
salts are made up of sulfates. Water with greater than 3000 ppm sulfates is considered poor,
and water with greater than 4000 ppm sulfates is considered dangerous.

11. Sulfate in Water

12. Deficiencies in Ruminants
Effect on rumen microbes
Reduced digestibility of ration
Sub-optimal utilization of non-protein nitrogen
Decreased numbers of rumen microbes
Depressed microbial protein synthesis
Deficiencies of any of the organic metabolites containing sulfur can of course produce functional and morphological problems.

13. Excesses

14. S from Water on Performance

15. S from Water on Performance

16. Eructated H2S is inhaled allowing H2S to enter the brain causing necrosis of the grey matter.

17. Polioencephalomalacia (PEM) in Cattle
Known as “Star Gazers” or “Blind Staggers”
Sulfur Toxicity
Some relation to Thiamin deficiency
Nervous system disorder
Necrosis of cerebrocortical region of brain
Thiamin deficiency has been considered the most common cause of PEM in ruminants. Often seen in animals that have had access to plants containing high amounts of thiaminase such as bracken fern. Thiamin plays a key role in the tri-carboxylic acid cycle and pentose shunt. When thiamin is deficient, key tissues that require large amounts of thiamin such as the brain and heart are the first to show lesions.
In ruminants a rapid change from an all forage to high-concentrate diet can cause PEM.
This results from a shift in the bacterial populations in the rumen which can produce thiaminase which breaks down thiamin, producing an analog which inhibits the thiamin dependent reactions of glycloysis and the tri-carboxylic acid cycle.

21. Interactions
Excess sulfur increases the dietary Cu requirement for ruminants
H2S + molybdenum  thiomolybdates
Thiomolybdates bind Cu
Sulfide formation in the rumen also adversely affects Cu bioavailability by the formation of insoluble cupric sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide in the rumen binds with molybdenum to form thiomolybdates which then bind with copper in the rumen to form an insoluble complex therefore reducing Cu absorption

22. Interactions Added sulfate increases the Se requirement
Affects Se uptake by rumen microbes
High S intake increases Se excretion
S and Se form structural analogs
Se can replace sulfur in methionine and cysteine (Se spares S)
S has not been shown to replace Se for biological activity
High intakes of S increase Se excretion and can reduce the effectiveness of Se in the prevention of white muscle disease.

23. Copper Deficiency Loss of Hair Pigmentation

24. Rough Hair – Enlarged Joints

25. ABNORMAL JOINT THICKENING CLASSICAL COPPER

26. Organic Trace Minerals
Metal amino acid chelate
Metal amino acid complex
Metal polysaccharide complex
Metal proteinate

27. Hydroxy Minerals

28. Summary S is important – required - toxic
Can be feed based, but more common in complete diets
Water has a large impact – increased summer risk
Cattle can adapt to some level
Induces PEM – S vs. Thiamin deficiency different
Cu, Se, Mn
Vit E and C