Relationship between magnesium intake and fecal magnesium excretion of ruminants

Twenty-four wethers were fed fresh cut orchardgrass, fertilized so that the magnesium concentration in the forage varied, and six lactating dairy cows were fed a 60% concentrate diet supplemented so that the magnesium concentration in the diet varied. This was to evaluate relationships between intake of magnesium and fecal excretion of magnesium in ruminants. Linear and logarithmic equations were evaluated for sheep and dairy cows. Although there was little difference between equations in ability to predict apparent absorption of magnesium at normal intakes of magnesium, the logarithmic equation was more useful for predicting magnesium apparent absorption at extreme intakes of magnesium. Constants for logarithmic equations for sheep and cows were similar; therefore, the data were combined and a single equation was derived for both species on the same logarithmic scale. Apparent absorption of magnesium in ruminants may be a function of the amount of magnesium consumed per unit of digesta surface area exposed to the rumen wall.