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Significance of Magnesium in Animals

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New Perspectives in Magnesium Research

Abstract

Magnesium (Mg) metabolism differs among animal species because the digestive system and feeds are different. The diseases related to Mg nutrition are rare in pigs and poultry under practical conditions because their diets are formulated as containing an appropriate level of Mg. On the other hand, Mg defi ciency is not rare in grazing animals because Mg in pasture is affected by several factors such as soil and plant species and maturity, and thus Mg concentration is largely varied in pasture. Grass tetany in ruminants is induced by the reduction of Mg absorption resulting from low Mg intake with high potassium and nitrogenous compounds, and with the reduction of ruminal fermentation. Additionally, cold stress stimulates the incidence of tetany through decreasing Mg concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid. Excess Mg is one of the factors inducing urolithiasis in cats and cattle, and enterolithiasis in horses. However, Mg level in the practical diets alone cannot induce these diseases. Cat urolithiasis is developed in combination with alkaline urine, and cattle urolithiasis and horse enterolithiasis are developed in combination with high phosphorus intake. The diseases related to Mg nutrition are mainly developed in combination with other dietary factors and/or environmental factors in ruminants, horses, and cats.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Nutritional Science Division of Applied Biosciences Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Tohru Matsui PhD

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  1. Tohru Matsui PhD
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Molecular Medicine, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan

    Yoshiki Nishizawa MD, PhD (Dean of Medicine, Professor of Internal Medicine) (Dean of Medicine, Professor of Internal Medicine)

  2. Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan

    Hirotoshi Morii MD, PhD (Emeritus Professor) (Emeritus Professor)

  3. Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France

    Jean Durlach MD, PhD (President of the International Society for the Development of Research on Magnesium (SDRM), Editor-in-Chief Magnesium Research journal) (President of the International Society for the Development of Research on Magnesium (SDRM), Editor-in-Chief Magnesium Research journal)

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© 2007 Springer-Verlag London Limited

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Matsui, T. (2007). Significance of Magnesium in Animals. In: Nishizawa, Y., Morii, H., Durlach, J. (eds) New Perspectives in Magnesium Research. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84628-483-0_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84628-483-0_31

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-84628-388-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-84628-483-0

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