Urinary magnesium - an indicator of magnesium status/intake?

N.R. Towers

Ruakura Animal Research Station, Hamilton

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1982, 42: 167-168

Urinary magnesium concentrations in dairy cows follow a distinct seasonal pattern, being high during the summer and lowest during August and September, coinciding with the period when the incidence of hypomagnesaemia is at its greatest. During this critical period mean urinary Mg concentrations (Y, mg/mg creatinine) measured weekly were related to mean plasma Mg concentrations (X, mM) by expression in Y= - 7.5 + 6.2X (R²=0.61). Urinary Mg levels were largely dependent on Mg intake and were rapidly influenced by changes in diet, times of feeding and introduction or removal of Mg supplements. "On farm" urinary Mg determinations show considerable promise as a guide to herd management but a greater understanding of the factors influencing urine Mg concentrations, and thus capable of biasing management decisions, is required.

Keywords: NZSAPAB;

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