Studies on the absorption and retention of calcium and phosphorus by young and mature Ca-deficient sheep.

Abstract

1. A combination of a mineral balance and a radioactive technique has been used to study the effects of increased levels of dietary calcium and phosphorus on the Ca and P metabolism of young and mature wether sheep previously made Ca-deficient. 2. Ca absorption was directly related to Ca intake until an absorption maximum was reached. Young animals absorbed dietary Ca more efficiently than mature animals and had a much higher maximum rate of absorption. Apparent P absorption was directly related to P intake and maximum P absorption was also higher for the young animals. 3. Excretion of Ca in the urine and into the intestine was not altered by changes in Ca intake. Excretion of P in the urine, however, varied considerably and it is suggested that this process may be largely responsible for P homoeostasis. 4. Ca retention was directly related to Ca absorption. Maximum retention was considerably higher for the young animals than for the mature animals and occurred for each group of animals at exactly the same dietary intake as maximum Ca absorption. 5. Ca and P were retained in a constant ratio of 1-25:1 and the results suggested that P retention was controlled by the rate of Ca retention. 6. Bone turnover was higher for the young than for the mature animals. Animals mobilized skeletal Ca when receiving the Ca-deficient diet and replaced their Ca losses when the dietary Ca was plentiful by changing the relative rates of bone resorption and bone accretion. Although bone resorption was mainly responsible for Ca homoeostasis, bone accretion appeared to play some part in the young animals. 7. Maximum retention of Ca occurred just as the rate of bone resorption became zero and was equal to the rate of bone accretion. The lower maximum retention of Ca for mature animals was due to a lower rate of bone accretion. 8. Results suggested that when bone resorption ceased, Ca absorption was regulated by homoeostatic mechanisms at a level just sufficient to maintain maximum retention, and that the maximum rates of absorption measured may not have been true maximum rates. 9. The consequences of a relationship between bone accretion and maximum Ca retention are discussed with reference to older, pregnant and lactating animals.