EFFECT OF DIETARY CALCIUM, PHOSPHORUS AND VITAMIN D ON ZEARALENONE TOXICOSIS IN RATS
Three experiments were conducted to measure the effects of dietary vitamin D, phosphorus and calcium on zearalenone (Z) toxicosis in female weanling rats Experiments were of completely randomized design and were for 14 days. All diets were supplied to groups of 15 rats with or without 250 μg Z/g feed. Vitamin D was fed at 0, 555, 1113, 2225 and 4450 IU per kg diet. There was no significant correlation between dietary vitamin D level and feed consumption, feed efficiency, plasma phosphorus or plasma calcium. Final body weight was negatively correlated with dietary vitamin D for rats fed both levels of Z. Dietary phosphorus was supplied at 0.00, 0.23, 0.45, 0.91 and 1.40% and this resulted in curvilinear correlations between phosphorus and final body weight, feed consumption and feed efficiency. Plasma calcium concentration was negatively correlated with dietary phosphorus. A positive correlation was seen between dietary levels of phosphorus and plasma concentrations of phosphorus. Calcium was fed at 0, 0.25, 0.58, 1.00 and 2.00% but no effect of dietary calcium was seen on body weights or feed efficiencies, while feed consumption was correlated with dietary calcium but only for those rats fed Z. Plasma concentrations of calcium rose with dietary calcium while there was a simultaneous drop in plasma phosphorus concentration. The plasma changes were more pronounced in those rats fed Z. In all experiments, inclusion of Z in diets caused depressions in final body weight, feed consumption and feed efficiency compared to rats fed the same diet devoid of Z.