Effects of Addition of Magnesium, Tocopherol, and Cod Liver Oil to a Whole Milk Diet on Some Biochemical Constituents in Serum, Soft Tissue, and Bone of Calves

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Forty-eight male Guernsey calves, approximately 7-days old, were fed a basal ration of whole milk plus required minerals, except Mg, vitamin A and D, and chlortetracycline. Added per 100 lb. live weight per day to this ration, separately and in all possible combinations, were Mg, at 2.5 g;d, l-[alpha]-tocopheryl acetate (T), 200 mg; and cod liver oil (CLO), 1 oz. None of the calves fed the basal ration died or exhibited signs of tetany characteristic of hypomagnesemia; however, mortality was high in the 2 groups receiving CLO without T. The results were based upon 4 calves per treatment group which survived the 28-week experimental period. The addition of Mg resulted in a greater incidence of scours, higher terminal serum inorganic P, Mg and total tocopherol concentrations, lower heart and skeletal muscle Ca, greater heart and skeletal muscle Mg (only in the absence of T from the ration), and lower Ca and higher Mg in the bone ash. The addition of CLO produced a variety of effects as reported previously in the literature. As was anticipated, the addition of T to the ration, largely offset the effects of the addition of CLO. A notable exception was the absence of any effect of T on the greater electrocardiographic intervals resulting from CLO.

This publication has 38 references indexed in Scilit: