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Effects of Fluorine on Dairy Cattle. I. Growth and Feed Consumption^{1, 2,}

Departments of Dairy Industry, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Science, and Biochemistry, Utah State University, Logan

ABSTRACT

Thirty-two Holstein females on experiment from about three to four months until about 7.5 yr of age were fed diets involving four levels of fluorine, two levels of concentrate mix, and two levels of a calcium-phosphorus mineral. Fluorine intake averaged 10, 28, 55, and 109 ppm on a hay basis or 12, 27, 49, and 93 ppm on a total dry matter basis. Average calculated levels of fluorine in milligram per kilogram of body weight were 0.30, 0.64, 1.17, and 2.08, respectively, for the four groups, with some variation associated with periods of growth and lactation. The two levels of concentrate were 2 and 4 lb daily during nonlactating periods and 0.75 and 1.0 lb daily for each 1.0 lb of milk fat produced weekly during lactation. Mineral treatments included 1 and 3% of a calcium-phosphorus mineral in the concentrate mix. Fluorine was maintained at designated levels by adding sodium fluoride to the concentrate mix.

Animals on the highest fluorine level ingested less hay and total dry matter than those on the other fluorine levels, but did not exhibit a significantly lower body weight gain during the 23, 112-day periods of the trial. No significant effects were noted on increase in height at withers. The kilograms of feed per kilogram of body weight gain was not affected by treatments in the five prelactation periods. Hay refusals were not affected by treatment.

It was observed that no single criterion was as effective in evaluating effects of fluoride ingestion as was an evaluation of all effects together.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station as Journal Paper No. 317. This research was supported in part by a grant-in-aid from the Columbia-Geneva Division, United States Steel Corporation, Provo, Utah.

² Fluorine, extremely reactive, occurs naturally only as the various fluorides. In this report fluorine and fluoride are used interchangeably to designate fluorine in its various combinations. Added fluorine was in the form of sodium fluoride.

³ Current address: Research Veterinarian, ADP-ARS, Logan, Utah.