Binding of magnesium and calcium in the contents of the small intestine of the calf

Abstract

1. In ileal contents from differently fed ruminating calves, examined under conditions approximating to those obtaining in vivo, 34–74% of the magnesium and 63–93% of the calcium were non-ultrafilterable. The binding was shown to be due to at least two processes, one depending on the presence of phosphate, the other not. 2. Considerable non-phosphate binding occurred in samples adjusted in vitro to pH 5.5 and above. The binding material was probably not a single substance but the bound forms of both Mg and Ca were, at least partly, in equilibrium with the soluble forms, and some competition between the two metals occurred. Thus in any one sample the extent of binding for either metal was influenced by the concentration of both. With normal concentrations it was estimated that, in the ileum, about one-third of the Mg and half of the Ca was bound in this way, irrespective of whether pasture or one of a variety of stall diets was given. 3. Samples adjusted to about pH 6.5 and above (in vivo ileum pH was about 7.4–7.9) showed further precipitation of Ca and Mg to an extent which partly depended on the concentration of inorganic phosphate. Ca precipitation appeared to be mainly controlled by the concentration of Ca and inorganic phosphate but for Mg the precipitation depended also on the presence of factors other than Mg and inorganic phosphate. One such factor found to be present was the ammonium ion, but its practical importance is uncertain. 4. Ileal contents from milk-fed calves showed considerable non-phosphate binding of Ca but not of Mg.