Journal of Nutrition

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Journal of Nutrition Vol. 118 No. 8 August 1988, pp. 976-981
Copyright © 1988 by American Society for Nutrition
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Dietary Calcium and Metacarpal Growth in Ewes1

Anita M. Oberbauer, Lennart Krook, Douglas E. Hogue, W. Bruce Currie and Michael L. Thonney

Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

The effects of excess dietary calcium on bone growth were quantified in 44 ewes fed ad libitum diets that contained one of four levels of dietary calcium (0.37, 0.56, 1.13 and 1.80%) and 0.42% phosphorus. Animals were slaughtered at one of six ages, circulating concentrations of hormones and minerals were measured and bone morphometry was evaluated. None of the diets impaired normal bone growth of the metacarpal as evaluated by overall length, cortical index and growth plate width. Circulating plasma concentrations of calcium and gastrin increased as dietary calcium levels increased, but all values were within the normal range for sheep. Plasma phosphorus was unaffected by the level of dietary calcium. Diet had no affect on T3, T4 or estradiol-17ß. Age significantly (P < 0.05) affected the metacarpal length, growth plate width and circulating calcium and phosphorus. The metacarpal in these ewes was 95% of mature length by 172 d of age. Attainment of mature length preceded growth plate closure by slightly over 300 d. These results demonstrate that elevated dietary calcium levels do not adversely influence bone growth and that the presence of an intact growth plate does not infer that further bone growth will occur.

KEY WORDS: • bone growth • epiphyseal plate • dietary calcium • sheep • metacarpal

1 Partial financial support for this research was provided by Agway, Inc., Syracuse, NY.

Manuscript received 24 July 1987. Revision accepted 4 April 1988.






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