Dicalcium Phosphate and Soft Phosphate with Colloidal Clay as Sources of Phosphorus for Beef Heifers

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Abstract
Three groups of eight beef heifers each were used to determine the relative value of soft phosphate with colloidal clay as an inorganic phosphorus supplement for growing beef heifers. One group was fed a low-phosphorus basal ration, 0.09% P, and the other two groups were fed the basal ration supplemented with 0.05% phosphorus as colloidal clay and as dicalcium phosphate. Principal criteria of response were weight gains, plasma inorganic phosphorus, and ash content of cannon bone and mandible. Differences in responses between the colloidal clay and dicalcium phosphate groups at the end of a 98-day period were statistically significant and favored the latter. Heifers fed colloidal clay exhibited pica, coprophagy, and walked with difficulty. They failed to recover when turned out to pasture. Heifers fed dicalcium phosphate were normal.