Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-wzw2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-26T22:28:24.442Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effects of conventional daily magnesium supplementation, breed of ewe and continued potassium fertilizer applications on plasma magnesium and calcium levels of ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

N. S. Ritchie
Affiliation:
Glasgow University Veterinary School, Bearsden, Glasgow
R. G. Hemingway
Affiliation:
Glasgow University Veterinary School, Bearsden, Glasgow

Extract

1. Muriate of potash applied at rates of 0, 1 and 2 cwt./acre to herbage which had also received similar treatments in the previous year did not influence plasma magnesium or calcium values in lactating ewes.

2. 24 Cheviot ewes had slightly lower plasma calcium and magnesium levels than 24 Half-bred ewes of the same age both before and after lambing.

3. 6·6 g. of magnesium oxide given as a daily drench did not increase plasma magnesium values as measured by blood samples taken 24 hr. after drenching. Values were however increased by 0·5 mg. Mg/100 ml. four hours after drenching.

4. No clinical cases of hypomagnesaemic tetany occurred, even although the mean plasma magnesium level of all the ewes in the experiment was only about 1·0 mg./lOO ml.

5. Plasma magnesium values of ewes before lambing were significantly (P < 0·001) correlated with post-lambing levels. Values for the ewes during 1962 were equally significantly correlated with levels for the same sheep at comparable dates in 1961.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1963

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bartlett, S., Brown, B. B., Foot, A. S., Rowland, S. J., Allcroft, R. & Parr, W. H. (1954). Brit. Vet. J. 110, 3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bartlett, S., Brown, B. B., Foot, A. S., Head, M. J., Line, C., Rook, J. A. F., Rowland, S. J. & Zundel, G. (1957). J. Agric. Sci. 49, 291.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hemingway, R. G., Ritchie, N. S., Rutherford, A. R. & Jolly, G. M. (1963). J. Agric. Sci. 60, 307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hvidsten, H., Odecien, M., Baerug, R. & Tollerstud, S. (1959). Acta Agric. Scand. 9, 261.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kemp, A. (1958). Neth. J. Agric. Sci. 6, 4.Google Scholar
Ritchie, N. S. & Hemingway, R. G. (1963). J. Agric. Sci. 60, 305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar