Deleterious effects of magnesium intoxication upon the domestic broiler chick

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5853045

Lee, S R

Dietary levels of 0.6 to 0.8% magnesium in a corn-soy basal were rachitogenic. These rickets appeared most like phosphorus deficiency. Bone Ca/P ratios were numerically quite low implying a lack of transformation from amorphous calcium phosphate to hydroxyapatite. Bone alkaline phosphatase activity was elevated. Additional dietary phosphorus ameliorated, but could not overcome the rachitogenic effects of magnesium. Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD), induced by elevated dietary P, was decreased by high levels of dietary Mg, but with no decrease in plasma phosphorus. Anticoccidial ionophores fed in conjunction with a moderate dietary challenge of Mg (0.48%) produced no clear changes in plasma calcium or Mg, but did interact to reduce body weight. The diarrhea caused by magnesium intoxication is not due to hyperosmotic loads of Mg per se. Rather, Cl was observed to be the major ionic constituent of the gut osmotic load implying different gut ionic fluxes in control versus magnesium intoxicated chicks. These data imply that the cathartic action of Mg is due to hypersecretion of the gut. Effects mediated or modified by the CNS changed in magnesium intoxicated chicks. Such chicks appeared cold and stayed near the heat. When startled, they exhibited extreme avoidance behavior and seizures similar to epilepsy and/or Cl deficiency. Brain tissue Mg content did not concomitantly increase. Whether these effects are due to central signals is unclear.

• OSTI ID: 5853045
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

553000 -- Agriculture & Food Technology
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE
ANIMALS
BEHAVIOR
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIRDS
BODY
BRAIN
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CHICKENS
DIARRHEA
DISEASES
ENZYMES
ESTERASES
FOWL
HYDROLASES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANS
PHOSPHATASES
SKELETAL DISEASES
SKELETON
SYMPTOMS
VERTEBRATES