Oxalic Acid Content of Alfalfa Hays and Its Influence on the Availability of Calcium, Phosphorus and Magnesium to Ponies

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Abstract
The Ca:oxalic acid ratios varied from 1.9 to 7.8 in 22 samples of alfalfa pellets and varied from 1.7 to 3.9 in 11 samples of alfalfa hay. The correlations between protein and oxalic acid, and Ca and oxalic acid were not considered large enough to be of predictive value. Metabolism studies were conducted with eight mature ponies fed diets containing alfalfa hays with different Ca:oxalic acid ratios. One hay contained 14.8 mg of Ca and 5 mg of oxalic acid/g of dry matter (Ca:oxalic acid ratio of 3.0) and the other hay contained 14.6 mg of Ca and 8.7 mg of oxalic acid/g of dry matter (Ca:oxalic acid ratio of 1.7). The diets were 33% hay and 67% oats. No significant differences in apparent or estimated true digestibility of Ca, P or Mg were found between diets. The alfalfa hays used in these studies were considered to be excellent sources of available Ca for ponies. Copyright © 1984. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1984 by American Society of Animal Science

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