The bone activity and bone mineral content in rib bones resected from 33 dairy cows between 3 and 8 h after parturition were measured, and the effects upon them of a deficient supply of dietary magnesium (Mg) during the last seven weeks of pregnancy were studied. The cows were fed a diet containing either 0.22% magnesium (low Mg) or 0.82% magnesium (high Mg) in the dry matter (DM), and the potassium content of both rations was increased to approximately 4.1% in the DM to reduce the absorption of magnesium. In the cows fed the low-Mg diet a fall in plasma Mg concentration was observed. In the low-Mg, low-parity cows the plasma Mg concentrations at parturition were higher than in the low-Mg, high-parity cows, i.e. 0.83 mmol/l and 0.54 mmol/l, respectively. After parturition four cows in the low-Mg, high-parity group showed clinical signs of hypocalcaemia but none of the other groups did so. The bone formation in low-parity cows was significantly (P less than 0.05) affected by Mg supply, with higher percentages of both trabecular surface covered by osteoid and osteoid volume in the low-Mg group. In the high-parity cows no significant differences in bone formation were found between the low- and high-Mg groups. An inadequate Mg supply resulted in a significantly (P less than 0.05) higher Ca content in the bone ash of low-parity cows and a significantly (P less than 0.05) higher bone ash percentage in the bone of high-parity cows.
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