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Effect of Dietary Potassium on Absorption of Magnesium and other Macroelements in Sheep Fed Different Levels of Magnesium¹

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University³, Blacksburg 24061

Abstract

Two metabolism trials were conducted with 24 crossbred wether lambs. Two levels of Mg (.1 and .2%) and four levels of K (.6, 1.2, 2.4 and 4.8%) were fed in a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement of treatments. Each trial consisted of a 10-d preliminary period followed by a 10-d collection of feed, feces and urine. Increasing levels of dietary K resulted in a linear increase in fecal Mg excretion and a linear decrease in Mg absorption. A large depression in Mg absorption occurred when K was increased from 1.2 to 2.4% with a further decrease when K was increased to 4.8%. Lambs fed the high level of Mg (.2%) absorbed and retained more (P<.05) total Mg (g/d, but not percentage of intake) compared with the low magnesium level (.1%). Dietary Mg did not affect the amount of K excreted, absorbed or retained. Increasing the level of dietary K resulted in a linear increase in urinary, fecal and total K excreted, absorbed and retained (P<.05).

¹ Supported in part by a grant from John Lee Pratt Animal Nutrition Program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg.

² Present address: Dept. of Anim. Sci., Texas A&M Univ., College Station, Texas.

³ Dept. of Anim. Sci.