Durante 13 meses foram acompanhadas as mudanças sazonais dos eletrólitos cálcio (Ca), fosfatos (PO4), potássio (K), cloretos (Cl), cobre (Cu) e zinco (Zn) no sangue de 20 de vacas "aneloradas" mantidas sob pastejo contínuo de Brachiaria decumbens com alta taxa de lotação. As vacas apresentaram-se hipocalcêmicas e hipofosfatêmicas durante praticamente todo o ano. Na primavera, com a brotação dos pastos (novembro e dezembro), vacas mantidas em pastos de solo argiloso foram mais propensas à alcalose metabólica, caracterizada por hipocalemia e hipocloremia, do que vacas mantidas em pastos de solo arenoso. Os animais apresentaram-se com níveis séricos normais de Cu, 0,79 e 0,81mi g/ml e Zn, 1,43 e 1,33mi g/ml, quando mantidas em solos arenoso e argiloso, respectivamente, apesar de os pastos estarem deficientes nesses minerais. O tipo de solo alterou a composição de minerais na braquiária e influiu significativamente nos níveis séricos de P, Mg, K, Cl e Zn. Solos arenosos mostraram teores séricos significativamente mais elevados de P, Mg, K e Cl do que os solos argilosos.

ABSTRACT:To evaluate non-conventional phosphorus sources, a group of 400 Nellore cows mantained under pasture received a mineral mixture with different P sources (group I: superphosphate -500 ppm P; group II: superphosphate -340 ppm P plus rock phosphate Patos 160 ppm P; group III: superphosphate 340 ppm P plus dicalcium phosphate 160 ppm P; group IV -dicalcium phosphate 500 ppm P). There were no differences in pregnancy rate, calving rate and calving interval. A fluorine deposition in bone was observed for the treatments with superphosphate and rock phosphate (66.92 ± 15.53; 69.97 ± 6.5 and 64.05 ± 3.35% respectively for group I, II and III). Superphosphate was almost as good dicalcium phosphate to provide phosphorus for grazing cows and there was a potentially significant economic advantage over dicalcium phosphate. Key words: phosphorus, cattle, rock phosphate, fluorine FONTES NÃO CONVENCIONAIS DE FÓSFOROPARA GADO ZEBU NO BRASIL RESUMO: Quatrocentas vacas Nelore, mantidas em pastagem, receberam mistura mineral contendo fontes não convencionais de fósforo (grupo I -500 ppm P-superfosfato triplo; grupo II -340 ppm P como superfosfato e 160 ppm P como rocha Patos; grupo III -340 ppm P como superfosfato e 160 ppm P como fosfato bicálcico; grupo IV -500 ppm P como fosfato bicálcico). Não se verificou diferenças na taxa de prenhez, porcentagem de nascimento e intervalo entre partos. Observou-se que houve maior concentração de flúor nos ossos para o tratamento com fosfato de rocha. O superfosfato triplo apresentou-se como fonte adequada de P e mostrou vantagem econômica em relação ao bicálcico.

Three levels of dietary P (.12%, .24% and .48% of dry matter) and three levels of roughage as ground corn cobs (25% 50% and 75% of dry matter) were fed in a 3 X 3 factorial metabolism trial, utilizing 36 crossbred (Hampshire X Columbia) intact male lambs, 6 to 9 mo of age. All diets contained cane molasses (5%), blood meal (13.5%), urea (1%), corn oil (1%) and salt (.5%). Limestone supplied supplemental Ca and treatment P levels were supplied by monosodium phosphate. Equal levels of corn starch and cerelose supplied the remainder of the diet. The diet was fed ad libitum, once daily. The highest P level (.48% P) resulted in a negative (P less than .01) Ca balance (-.23 g/d vs .12 g/d for .12% P and .31 g/d for .24% P groups), and apparent digestibility (P less than .01) of Ca (1.65% vs 17.18 and 22.2% for the two respective lower P dietary levels). Blood serum concentrations of Ca and Mg decreased (P less than .01) as dietary P level was increased. Apparent digestibility of Mg was decreased (P less than .05) by the highest P level (6.9% vs 21.58% and 18.80% for the two lower levels of dietary P). Level of roughage had no effect on Ca and Mg utilization; however, the highest level (75% corn cobs) resulted in improved (P less than .05) K balance (.85 g/d vs .30 and .50 g/d for the two lower levels of roughage).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)