Femur or phalange bones as indicators of dietary phosphorus deficiency

Abstract

Fifteen crossbred gilts averaging 115 pounds were fed one of three phosphorus levels 70 days (to 219 pounds average) then their femur and phalange bones were compared. Each group of five gilts had received either 0.40%, 0.50% or 0.60% total dietary phosphorus and 0.65% dietary calcium during the 70-day feeding period. The basal sorghum-soybean meal ration contained 0.30% of plant phosphorus. Specific gravity and X-ray or chemical analysis of femurs showed no significant differences among groups, but the breaking strength of femurs from gilts fed 0.6% phosphorus was significantly higher than that from gilts fed 0.4% phosphorus. Femur and phalange comparisons were inconclusive.