Effect of Altering the Dietary Cation and Anion Content with Magnesium and Phosphorus on Chick Performance

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to study the effects of the cation and anion content of a corn-soybean meal diet on chick performance to 3 weeks of age. The milliequivalents of cation and anion were increased by the addition of magnesium and phosphorus. Body weight increased, feed efficiency improved, and the incidence of crooked legs was greater when chicks were fed diets with narrow cation:anion ratios and lower levels of excess cation (milliequivalents cation minus milliequivalents anion) compared to chicks fed diets with wide cation:anion ratios and higher levels of excess cation. Body weight and the incidence of crooked legs were negatively correlated (P<.01) to both cation:anion ratio and excess cation. The incidence of crooked legs was correlated to body size when the diets contained variable concentrations of cations and anions. Body weight had no influence on the incidence of crooked legs when chicks were fed diets with constant levels of cations and anions but variable levels of energy.