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Interaction of Dietary Vanadium, Calcium and Phosphorus for the Growing Chicken
1760
RESEARCH NOTES
INTERACTION OF DIETARY VANADIUM, CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS FOR THE GROWING CHICKEN J. D. SUMMERS AND E. T. MORAN, J R . Department of A nimal &• Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (Received for publication April 19, 1972)
POULTRY SCIENCE 51: 1760-1761,1972
Work with growing chickens has shown that a high percentage of injested vanadium is deposited in the bones (Hathcock et al., 1964). These same workers also showed that the toxicity of high levels of vanadium could be reduced by feeding EDTA. The above observations suggest that vanadium absorption and metabolism may be associated with calcium and/or phosphorus. If an interaction existed between vanadium and calcium and if vanadium was deposited along with or in association with calcium one could speculate that vanadium may have some influence on egg shell quality. This point was checked in two small experiments carried out in our laboratory where levels of 0, 4 and 8 p.p.m. of vanadium were added to laying diets. No conclusions could be drawn from the study since in one test an improvement in shell quality (as measured by shell thickness and deformation) was noted, while for the second test a depression in shell quality was observed. However, it was apparent from both tests that vanadium was in some way influencing shell quality. The eggs from the vanadium treatments appeared more brittle and had a distinct "tinny" ring when tapped together. In order to gain more information on the possible interaction of calcium, phosphorus and vanadium, it was decided to
utilize the growing chicken since it was felt that parameters for measuring a response would be more sensitive and easier to interpret. MATERIAL AND METHODS
Two levels of calcium (0.3 and 0.7%), two levels of added inorganic phosphorus (0 and 0.2%) and two levels of vanadium (0 and 10 p.p.m.) were fed in corn, soya type diets to 4 replicates of 10 White Leghorn cockerel chicks. The diets were formulated in such a manner as to keep the levels of dietary protein and energy constant for all treatments. At the end of the three week experimental period the birds were weighed, feed intake recorded, a blood sample obtained from each bird by heart puncture, all birds killed and the left tibia removed for bone ash analysis. Blood from birds within each replicate was pooled and a sample taken for plasma inorganic phosphorus analysis. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Statistical analysis of the weight gain data (Table 1) revealed a significant reduction (P<.01) in weight gain with the addition of 10 p.p.in. of vanadium to the diet (214 versus 190 gm.). This reduction in growth is similar to that observed by other workers (Berg, 1963; and Nelson et al., 1962). There were also significant
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Florida International University on June 13, 2015
ABSTRACT Various levels of dietary vanadium, phosphorus and calcium were fed to growing chickens in order to investigate the possible interaction of these three minerals. Vanadium significantly reduced feed consumption at 10 p.p.m.; however, there were no significant differences in blood phosphorus or bone ash levels with vanadium supplementation. There were no significant interactions noted between vanadium and calcium and/or phosphorus.
1761
RESEARCH NOTES T A B U E 1.—Interrelationship of calcium, phosphorus and vanadium on weight gain, feed consumption, plasma phosphorus and bone ash Calcium level (%) 0.3 Vanadium
Phosphorus (% added) 0 0 0.2
0 0.2 0 0.2
0
lOp.p.m
Weight gain (gm.) 213(38) 172(36) 202(36) 206(38) 182(38) 234(40) Feed consumption (Av. per bird, gm.) 422 347 381 400 370 453 Plasma phosphorus (mg. %) 4.98 5.23 4.68 6.16 6.06 6.16 Bone ash (%) 30.1 31.1 32.8 31.9 29.7 35.2
196(37) 210(38) 394 401 4.97 5.38 32.6 36.0
( ) No. of birds survivingf rom 4 replicates of 10 birds started per treatment.
differences in response to levels of calcium and phosphorus; however, the calcium X phosphorus interaction proved to be significant (P<.05). Similarly for feed consumption, vanadium addition resulted in a significant (P<.01) reduction in feed intake (414 versus 378 gm.) while the calcium X phosphorus interaction was again significant (P<.05). For the bone ash data the calcium Xphorphorus interaction was significant; however, there was no significant difference between levels of vanadium. The
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors wish to acknowledge the Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food for financial support of this work. REFERENCES Berg, L. R., 1963. Evidence of vanadium toxicity resulting from the use of certain commercial phosphorus supplements in chick rations. Poultry Sci. 42:766-769. Hathcock, J. N., C. H. Hill and G. Matrone, 1964. Vanadium toxicity and distribution in chicks and rats. J. Nutrition, 82: 106-110. Nelson, T. S., M. B. GiUis and H. T. Peeler, 1962. Studies of the effect of vanadium on chick growth. Poultry Sci. 42: 519-522.
NEWS AND NOTES {Continued from page 1759) with 29 p a i n t i n g s of breeds a n d descriptions of m a n y breeds a n d varieties. M a r c h , 1930—Fowls of F o r e s t a n d Stream T a m e d b y M a n , b y M . A. Jull, a n d Fowls of Field, P a r k a n d F a r m y a r d , b y H a s h i m e M u r a y a m a ; pages 3 2 7 3 7 1 ; s t o r y of h i s t o r y a n d i n d u s t r y of peafowl, ducks, geese, t u r k e y s , guinea fowl a n d swans, w i t h 16 p a i n t i n g s of breeds a n d varieties a n d descriptions of m a n y breeds a n d varieties. October, 1934—Flying Wild Fowl a n d T h e i r Foes, a n d Wild Geese, D u c k s a n d Swans, b y M a j o r Allan B r o o k s ; pages 4 8 7 - 5 2 8 ; descriptions of m a n y
wild and fancy waterfowl breeds and varieties with 16 paintings illustrating many breeds. October, 1936—Game Birds of Prairie, Forest and Tundra, by A. Wetmore, and Hunted Birds of Field and Wilds, by Major Allan Brooks; pages 461-500; descriptions of many game birds, with 16 paintings illustrating such birds. September, 1948—Easter Egg Chickens, by F. G. Vosburgh; pages 377-387; description of the Arancana chicken, with color photos. December, 1970—Scientists Studies Japan's Fantastic Long-Tailed Fowl, by F. X. Ogasawara;
{Continued on page 1894)
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Florida International University on June 13, 2015
0 0.2
lOp.p.m.
0.7 Vanadium
only significant difference noted for plasma phosphorus was due to level of dietary phosphorus. Failure of vanadium to alter bone ash or blood phosphorus levels may suggest that this element is not interfering directly with the utilization or metabolism of calcium and/or phosphorus. However, the possibility is not ruled out that vanadium may be able to replace phosphorus in certain metabolic functions. More work is required before accepting or rejecting the original hypothesis that vanadium may improve shell quality by its influence on calcium and/or phosphorus metabolism.
RESEARCH NOTES
INTERACTION OF DIETARY VANADIUM, CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS FOR THE GROWING CHICKEN J. D. SUMMERS AND E. T. MORAN, J R . Department of A nimal &• Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (Received for publication April 19, 1972)
POULTRY SCIENCE 51: 1760-1761,1972
Work with growing chickens has shown that a high percentage of injested vanadium is deposited in the bones (Hathcock et al., 1964). These same workers also showed that the toxicity of high levels of vanadium could be reduced by feeding EDTA. The above observations suggest that vanadium absorption and metabolism may be associated with calcium and/or phosphorus. If an interaction existed between vanadium and calcium and if vanadium was deposited along with or in association with calcium one could speculate that vanadium may have some influence on egg shell quality. This point was checked in two small experiments carried out in our laboratory where levels of 0, 4 and 8 p.p.m. of vanadium were added to laying diets. No conclusions could be drawn from the study since in one test an improvement in shell quality (as measured by shell thickness and deformation) was noted, while for the second test a depression in shell quality was observed. However, it was apparent from both tests that vanadium was in some way influencing shell quality. The eggs from the vanadium treatments appeared more brittle and had a distinct "tinny" ring when tapped together. In order to gain more information on the possible interaction of calcium, phosphorus and vanadium, it was decided to
utilize the growing chicken since it was felt that parameters for measuring a response would be more sensitive and easier to interpret. MATERIAL AND METHODS
Two levels of calcium (0.3 and 0.7%), two levels of added inorganic phosphorus (0 and 0.2%) and two levels of vanadium (0 and 10 p.p.m.) were fed in corn, soya type diets to 4 replicates of 10 White Leghorn cockerel chicks. The diets were formulated in such a manner as to keep the levels of dietary protein and energy constant for all treatments. At the end of the three week experimental period the birds were weighed, feed intake recorded, a blood sample obtained from each bird by heart puncture, all birds killed and the left tibia removed for bone ash analysis. Blood from birds within each replicate was pooled and a sample taken for plasma inorganic phosphorus analysis. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Statistical analysis of the weight gain data (Table 1) revealed a significant reduction (P<.01) in weight gain with the addition of 10 p.p.in. of vanadium to the diet (214 versus 190 gm.). This reduction in growth is similar to that observed by other workers (Berg, 1963; and Nelson et al., 1962). There were also significant
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Florida International University on June 13, 2015
ABSTRACT Various levels of dietary vanadium, phosphorus and calcium were fed to growing chickens in order to investigate the possible interaction of these three minerals. Vanadium significantly reduced feed consumption at 10 p.p.m.; however, there were no significant differences in blood phosphorus or bone ash levels with vanadium supplementation. There were no significant interactions noted between vanadium and calcium and/or phosphorus.
1761
RESEARCH NOTES T A B U E 1.—Interrelationship of calcium, phosphorus and vanadium on weight gain, feed consumption, plasma phosphorus and bone ash Calcium level (%) 0.3 Vanadium
Phosphorus (% added) 0 0 0.2
0 0.2 0 0.2
0
lOp.p.m
Weight gain (gm.) 213(38) 172(36) 202(36) 206(38) 182(38) 234(40) Feed consumption (Av. per bird, gm.) 422 347 381 400 370 453 Plasma phosphorus (mg. %) 4.98 5.23 4.68 6.16 6.06 6.16 Bone ash (%) 30.1 31.1 32.8 31.9 29.7 35.2
196(37) 210(38) 394 401 4.97 5.38 32.6 36.0
( ) No. of birds survivingf rom 4 replicates of 10 birds started per treatment.
differences in response to levels of calcium and phosphorus; however, the calcium X phosphorus interaction proved to be significant (P<.05). Similarly for feed consumption, vanadium addition resulted in a significant (P<.01) reduction in feed intake (414 versus 378 gm.) while the calcium X phosphorus interaction was again significant (P<.05). For the bone ash data the calcium Xphorphorus interaction was significant; however, there was no significant difference between levels of vanadium. The
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors wish to acknowledge the Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food for financial support of this work. REFERENCES Berg, L. R., 1963. Evidence of vanadium toxicity resulting from the use of certain commercial phosphorus supplements in chick rations. Poultry Sci. 42:766-769. Hathcock, J. N., C. H. Hill and G. Matrone, 1964. Vanadium toxicity and distribution in chicks and rats. J. Nutrition, 82: 106-110. Nelson, T. S., M. B. GiUis and H. T. Peeler, 1962. Studies of the effect of vanadium on chick growth. Poultry Sci. 42: 519-522.
NEWS AND NOTES {Continued from page 1759) with 29 p a i n t i n g s of breeds a n d descriptions of m a n y breeds a n d varieties. M a r c h , 1930—Fowls of F o r e s t a n d Stream T a m e d b y M a n , b y M . A. Jull, a n d Fowls of Field, P a r k a n d F a r m y a r d , b y H a s h i m e M u r a y a m a ; pages 3 2 7 3 7 1 ; s t o r y of h i s t o r y a n d i n d u s t r y of peafowl, ducks, geese, t u r k e y s , guinea fowl a n d swans, w i t h 16 p a i n t i n g s of breeds a n d varieties a n d descriptions of m a n y breeds a n d varieties. October, 1934—Flying Wild Fowl a n d T h e i r Foes, a n d Wild Geese, D u c k s a n d Swans, b y M a j o r Allan B r o o k s ; pages 4 8 7 - 5 2 8 ; descriptions of m a n y
wild and fancy waterfowl breeds and varieties with 16 paintings illustrating many breeds. October, 1936—Game Birds of Prairie, Forest and Tundra, by A. Wetmore, and Hunted Birds of Field and Wilds, by Major Allan Brooks; pages 461-500; descriptions of many game birds, with 16 paintings illustrating such birds. September, 1948—Easter Egg Chickens, by F. G. Vosburgh; pages 377-387; description of the Arancana chicken, with color photos. December, 1970—Scientists Studies Japan's Fantastic Long-Tailed Fowl, by F. X. Ogasawara;
{Continued on page 1894)
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Florida International University on June 13, 2015
0 0.2
lOp.p.m.
0.7 Vanadium
only significant difference noted for plasma phosphorus was due to level of dietary phosphorus. Failure of vanadium to alter bone ash or blood phosphorus levels may suggest that this element is not interfering directly with the utilization or metabolism of calcium and/or phosphorus. However, the possibility is not ruled out that vanadium may be able to replace phosphorus in certain metabolic functions. More work is required before accepting or rejecting the original hypothesis that vanadium may improve shell quality by its influence on calcium and/or phosphorus metabolism.