Effects of manipulating dietary anion-cation balance on calcium metabolism in shee

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of reducing dietary anion-cation balance (AC-balance), defined as meq $spcirc$(Sodium + Potassium)-(Chloride + Sulfur) S, on calcium (Ca) metabolism. Reducing the dietary AC-balance from +314 to $-22$ (meq kg$sp{-1}$ dry matter (DM)) did not affect plasma Ca level but reduced Ca retention mainly due to a 10-fold increase in urinary Ca excretion with similar rate of apparent absorption. It also decreased urine pH and titratable acidity. The response to induced hypocalcemia created by the infusion of 4.6% EDTA solution revealed that reducing dietary AC-balance from +354 to +37 (meq kg$sp{-1}$DM) did not affect the volume of the compartment, within which there was rapid equilibration of free Ca but tended to increase the rate of Ca mobilization from it during the infusion. The Ca kinetic study with a four-compartment model indicated that reducing dietary AC-balance from +338 to $-127$ (meq kg$sp{-1}$DM) during the eucalcemic period and from +429 to $-147$ (meq kg$sp{-1}$DM) during an EGTA-infusion period (simulated lactational Ca loss) caused hypercalciuria and increased ionized form of plasma Ca. Increased true intestinal Ca absorption and reduced bone accretion were observed in the lowest AC-balance diet only during the EGTA-infusion period. There were no differences in the size of total exchangeable Ca pool but the amount of Ca movement between them tended to increase in reduced AC-balance diets during both periods. Results indicated that feeding reduced AC-balanced diet may have a beneficial role in preventing parturient paresis (milk fever) by increasing Ca flux through the exchangeable Ca pool and Ca mobilization capability.