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Magnesium Requirement of the Pig

Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana¹

Abstract

Three experiments were conducted with 60 Duroc pigs weaned at 3 weeks of age and 36 Yorkshire pigs weaned at 9 weeks of age to determine the quantitative requirement of magnesium for pigs. These data indicate that:

1. Magnesium is an essential nutrient in the rations of swine weaned at either 3 or 9 weeks of age.
   
2. A deficiency of dietary magnesium results in the following symptoms in order of appearance: Noticeably weak front pasterns, sickled hocks, a concave bowing back of the front legs due to extreme pastern weakness, knock-knees and hocks, hyperirritability, muscular twitching, arched back, reluctance to stand and a continual shifting of the feet while standing, followed by tetany and death.
   
3. The above symptoms were accompanied by a statistically significant reduction in growth rate, feed consumption, feed conversion and serum magnesium.
   
4. The amount of dietary magnesium required to prevent the appearance of deficiency symptoms was greater than the amount necessary for optimum growth.
   
5. The magnesium requirement of pigs weaned at either 3 or 9 weeks of age is between 400 and 500 p.p.m. of the total ration.
   

¹ Contribution from the Department of Animal Husbandry, Journal Paper No. 1262. Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station.

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