Magnesium metabolism in the dairy cow IV. The availability of the magnesium in various feedingstuffs

Abstract

1. The ‘availability’ of the magnesium of diets consisting solely of roughage or succulent feeds, including herbages cut at different seasons and at different stages of growth, and of diets of hay supplemented with various concentrate feeds, was assessed in metabolism trials conducted with two non-pregnant, non-lactating Shorthorn cows.2. The highest daily intakes of magnesium (1720 g./day) were provided by a diet of red clover: grasses and hays generally gave a considerably lower intake of magnesium (8–10 g./day), and most of the other diets provided intermediate amounts. However, with timothy hay and barley straw, intakes of 5 and 2 g./day, respectively, were recorded. Supplements to a diet of hay of dairy cubes or of oilcakes rich in protein gave a massive increase in magnesium intake but a supplement of flaked maize provided little additional magnesium.3. The ‘availability’ of the magnesium of the diets was generally low, within the range of 5–30%. With diets of single feeds no clear distinction between the various roughages and succulents in the ‘availability’ of their magnesium was established, though within the group of herbages the lowest values tended to occur with grasses cut at an early stage of growth and the highest values at the mature stage. A supplement of flaked maize increased the ‘availability’ of dietary magnesium and one of protein-rich oil cakes decreased the ‘availability’ of dietary magnesium.4. The results are discussed in relation to the development of hypomagnesaemia in cattle grazing spring pasture.