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Inorganic Blood Phosphorus Levels Necessary for Satisfactory Production of Range Cattle in the Southwest¹

New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station²

Abstract

Investigations were conducted to determine time and extent of phosphorus deficiency of southwestern semidesert range forage, to compare the inorganic phosphorus content of the blood plasma of mineral fed cattle with that of non-mineral fed cattle and to determine whether seasonal feeding of mineral supplement would maintain a satisfactory inorganic phosphorus content in the blood plasma of breeding cows.

Breeding cows which have received calcium and phosphorus supplements continuously have given good production results and have maintained satisfactory body weights. These results were obtained with an average inorganic blood plasma phosphorus level varying from 2.11 mg. during the winter to the high of 5.37 mg. during the summer and fall months. The mean of all analyses including 781 determinations over 69 28-day periods was 3.53 mg. of inorganic phosphorus per 100 ml. of blood plasma.

These analyses along with the calculated phosphorus intake of the cattle indicate that these cattle were receiving considerably less phosphorus than the widely used standards recommended.

¹ Published with approval of the Director of the New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station. Contribution No. 46.

² Department of Animal Husbandry, State College, New Mexico.