Abstract:
An experiment has been carried out in which the relative availability to young
rats of the phosphorus in bone meal, bone ash, dicalcium phosphate and tricalcium
phosphate has been ascertained. Live weight gains, the ash content of the femurs,
and the total retention of phosphorus have been used as criteria in evaluating the
supplements.
Dicalcium phosphate was found superior to the other three supplements.
Bone ash proved to be on a par with, if not better than bone meal. Tricalcium
phosphate was least efficient as a source of phosphorus for bone formation.
The practical significance of the observed differences in availability is briefly
discussed.
