Poor Utilization of Phosphorus in Cereals and Legumes by Chicks for Bone Development

Abstract

Heuser, Norris, McGinnis and Scott (1943) presented evidence indicating that the phosphorus of cereals and legumes at levels of 0.38 and 0.59 percent did not promote normal bone development in chicks in spite of the presence of 100 A.O.A.C. units of vitamin D per 100 grams of diet. On the other hand, when the diet used in this research Work was supplemented with 2 per cent of steamed bone meal, approximately normal bone development was obtained. Because the results of this preliminary work were not entirely conclusive, further research work on the availability of the phosphorus of cereals and legumes has been conducted. The results confirmed the preliminary observations on the poor availability of the phosphorus of these products. We are presenting them in this report before the completion of the entire investigation as the present shortage of inorganic phosphorus supplements has produced a tendency to depend to a greater . . .