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Vitamin D Studies in Cattle

II. The Vitamin D Sparing Action of Magnesium in the Ration of Dairy Cattle^*

Sections of Dairy Husbandry and of Chemistry, Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, East Lansing

ABSTRACT

1. The addition of magnesium carbonate to a rachitogenic ration failed to prevent the manifestation of clinical rickets in calves.
   
2. The addition of magnesium carbonate to the ration of C–89, after the onset of rickets, caused an increase in the plasma calcium and promoted the calcification of a fractured vertebra. Pour pounds of wheat straw furnished the only source of vitamin D.
   
3. The rachitogenic ration fed to calves C–170 and C–173 supplemented with 5 cc. of cod liver oil per day did not protect these calves from rickets.
   
4. The addition of one per cent—on the dry-matter basis—of magnesium carbonate to the rations of calves C—172 and C–175 prevented the clinical symptoms of rickets to 10.5 months of age. C–172 had normal plasma calcium and inorganic phosphorus values, while C–175 had normal inorganic phosphorus values and a few subnormal terminal calcium values during this period.
   
5. When the same level of magnesium oxide was added to the rations of C–174 and C–176, no clinical evidence of rickets was observed. The plasma calcium and inorganic phosphorus values were normal up to 20 months of age for C–174 and to 10.5 months of age for C–176. C–172 which received magnesium oxide in place of magnesium carbonate after 11 months of age had normal calcium and inorganic phosphorus values to 20 months of age.
   
6. The ash and mineral values of the bones indicated better calcium and phosphorus utilization due to the ingestion of magnesium supplements.
   
7. The results of this experiment indicate that the magnesium content of feeds for dairy cattle may contribute to their antirachitic effect.
   

^* Published with the permission of the Director of the Experiment Station as Journal Article No. 217 (n. s.).