Effects of Potassium in a Purified Equine Diet
1971; Elsevier BV; Volume: 101; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1093/jn/101.5.629
ISSN1541-6100
Autores Tópico(s)Renal function and acid-base balance
ResumoThe effects of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2% potassium, as K2CO3, in a purified diet were studied in orphaned foals of mixed breeding ranging in age from 11 to 57 days. Observations regarding feed intake, rate of gain, packed cell volume (PCV), erythrocyte counts (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), leukocyte counts (WBC), and serum Na, K and Fe were made. Consumption of the 0.2% K diet after 8 days was inadequate to support growth. The foals consumed the 1.0 and 1.2% K diet at significantly higher rates (28.8 and 27.5 g/kg foal per day, respectively) than the 0.4% K diet. Rates of gain of foals fed 0.4 to 1.2% K did not differ significantly from one another and were comparable to rates of gain of naturally fed foals (0.9 to 1.0 kg/day). There was a tendency for foals fed 0.8 to 1.2% K to make the most efficient gains, 2.5 to 2.8 g feed/gram gain corrected for body weight. The foals fed 1.0% K had significantly higher PCV, Hb, RBC and serum Fe values than foals fed either 0.4 or 1.2% K. The serum K and Fe of the foals fed both 0.8 and 1.0% K were significantly greater than for foals fed 0.6% K. Under the conditions of the experiment an intake of 206 to 288 mg K/kg body weight per day, or 2.6 to 3.2 mg K/kcal was considered a recommended range for foals 1 to 3 months old.
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