This study aimed to evaluate in buffaloes of the Marajó Island serum concentrations and phosphorus in bones, the percentage of ashes and the specific density of the bones, the levels of copper, cobalt, selenium, zinc and iron before and after selective mineral supplementation. For this study, 14 crossbred buffaloes of Murrah and Mediterranean aged between 18 and 36 months were used. The average values of phosphorus, before supplementation, were 5, 68 mg/dl ± 1.18 in serum and 16.53% ± 0.53 in the bones. The percentage of ashes in bones was 59.95% ± 1.96 and the specific bone density was 1,52 g/cm3 ± 0.32, which demonstrates a phosphorus deficiency in animals raised on the island of Marajó. The average copper values were 7.75 ± 1.73 ppm, the cobalt ± 0.17 0.40 ppm, the zinc of 88.01 ± 35.03 ppm, the 0.22 ppm selenium and iron ± 0.12 1395.72 ± 764.74 ppm. These results indicate a deficiency of copper, zinc and selenium, cobalt and appropriate values of excess iron in the liver. After supplementation for a period of seven months the phosphorus values were 6.61 mg / dl in serum ± 0.87 and 16.90 ± 0.56% in the bones. The percentage of ash was 60.30% ± 0.95 and the specific bone density was 1.71 g/cm3 ± 0.21. These values characterize a significant increase in the concentrations of P in blood serum, in the percentage of P in the ashes and on specific bone density (P < 0.05), however there wasn't a significant increase in the percentage of ash. The average increase in the values of P in the bones and the ashes did not reach heights of normality, however 28.6% of the animals had normal serum P values, 50% had normal values of P in the ashes and 64.3% of the animals had specific normal bone density. There was no response to supplementation in relation to the percentage of ash. Regarding micro minerals, after supplementation values were 205.41 ± 80.54 ppm for copper, 0.40 ± 0.22 ppm for cobalt, 75.71 ± 11.74 ppm for zinc, 1.30 ppm ± 1.34 for selenium and 826.48 ± 394.76 ppm for iron, which shows a significant increase (P <0.05) concentrations of copper and selenium and a significant decrease in the amounts of iron (P <0, 05). There was no response to supplementation in relation to the percentage of ashes. Regarding micro minerals, after supplementation values were 205.41 ± 80.54 ppm for copper, 0.40 ± 0.22 ppm for cobalt, 75.71 ± 11.74 ppm for zinc, 1.30 ppm ± 1.34 for selenium and 826.48 ± 394.76 ppm for iron, which shows a significant increase (P <0.05) concentrations of copper and selenium and a significant decrease in the amounts of iron (P <0, 05). There was no recovery of zinc and cobalt concentrations which remained within the normal range. Failure to increased concentrations of zinc in the liver after supplementation may have occurred because of the high concentrations of calcium in Brachiaria brizantha cv Marandu used in animal nutrition.
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