Effect of dietary supplements of sodium bicarbonate on tissue calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) levels in beef cattle
Keywords:
beef cattle, sodium-bicarbonate, calcium, magnesium, bones, muscle, kidney, liver, AASAbstract
The effect of dietary supplements of Na-bicarbonate administered in the second stage of fattening on Ca and Mg levels in both blood and tissues (bone, muscle, liver and kidney) was evaluated in two groups of animals over a period of 30 days. The control (n=11) and experimental groups (n=14) of beef cattle received identical rations, with the complete compound feed (CCF) fed to experimental group being supplemented with 48.1 g Na-bicarbonate/calf/day.
Mean Ca and Mg levels in beef cattle drinking water (provided by the Morava water supply system) were below those permitted in the Regulation on the Hygienic Safety of Drinking Water (Official Gazette, Republic of Serbia, Nos. 42/98 and 44/99). Mean bicarbonate and alkalinity levels in the drinking water were 309.202 mg/L and 50.688, respectively.
Blood was obtained from experimental beef cattle on days 0, 10, 20 and 30. Bone (the spinous process of the caudal vertebra), muscle, liver and kidneys were sampled at slaughter. Ca and Mg levels in all bovine samples were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) – Yugoslav standard JUS ISO 6869:2002, using UNICAM 969 apparatus.
No statistically significant differences in serum Ca levels in the test animals were found between the control periods, or between the experimental and control groups. There were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) in serum Mg levels between days 20 and 30 in the experimental group, nor between days 20 and 30 in the experimental group as compared to those in the control group. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in serum Mg levels in experimental cattle between days 0 and 10 and days 0 and 30, as well as between day 0 in experimental animals and day 30 in the control group. Serum Mg levels showed very significant differences (p<0.01) in the experimental cattle (between days 0 and 20, 10 and 20, and 10 and 30), as well as between day 10 in the experimental cattle and day 30 in the control cattle.
No statistically significant differences (p>0.05) were found in Ca levels in liver, kidney, muscle and bone samples and in Mg levels in liver, kidney and bone samples between the experimental and control groups. The muscle Mg level in the control group of animals was very significantly above (p<0.01) the level in the experimental cattle.
