Plasma inorganic phosphorus concentration during egg‐shell formation: Effect of the physical form of the dietary calcium

Abstract

1. Four experiments were carried out with Warren laying hens to elucidate the changes in plasma inorganic phosphorus (Pi) concentration during egg formation. 2. In hens receiving a normal diet containing a calcium supplement in a powdery form Pi increased from 25 to 42 mg/1 during an entire shell formation cycle (from 10 to 22 h after oviposition of the previous egg), while in cockerels Pi decreased slightly during the night. 3. This increase in Pi in hens, was not related to cessation of feeding at the onset of darkness but was specifically connected with the beginning of shell secretion. 4. When hens received calcium as crushed sea‐shells separately from the diet, the nocturnal peak in Pi virtually disappeared and only a temporary increase of 4 mg/1 between 10 and 14 h after oviposition remained. 5. These results indicate that the beginning of shell secretion is always accompanied by an increase in Pi and that a separate presentation of dietary calcium reduces the bone mobilisation at night.