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Bone Magnesium, Calcium and Strontium Concentrations in Range Cattle^{1, 2,}

University of Nevada, Reno 89507

Abstract

The concentrations of magnesium, calcium and strontium in bovine bone ash were studied. Caudal vertebra, eighth rib and femur contained the same concentrations of these three elements but statistically significant differences were noted between other bones and teeth. The caudal vertebra givs a representative sample of the skeleton as a whole and the ease of obtaining this bone in vivo makes it attractive for study of skeletal composition. The age of the animals has a significant effect on bone ash magnesium and calcium concentrations, but not on the strontium concentration. The magnesium and calcium concentrations increased between 3 months and 1 year of age bue remained relatively constant thereafter. Bone ash concentrations of magnesium and strontium varied with location in Nevada probably reflecting different concentrations of these elements in range plants consumed. No effect of year of sampling was noted indicating that the bone alkali earth minerals do not reflect short-term dietary variations that would be associated with the influence of weather on plant composition under range conditions.

¹ Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 237.

² The authors acknowledge the assistance of Ricardo Azocar with the laboratory phase of this work. One of us (C. Blincoe) acknowledges the facilities provided by the Department of Biochemistry, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, during the writing of this paper. Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station Research Projects Hatch 104, AEC-190 and AEC-394.