Interaction of vanadium and phosphorus in chicks.

Studies were carried out to determine the effect of dietary vanadium on chicks fed phosphorus deficient and control diets. Vanadium at 50 mg/kg of diet decreased growth of both control and deficient chicks. The high mortality among the phosphorus deficient chicks was significantly alleviated by the presence of vanadium. The increased relative ventricular weights found among the deficient chicks was also alleviated by the presence of dietary vanadium. Vanadium fed at 10 or 20 mg/kg diet did not reduce growth rate but significantly reduced mortality among chicks fed the deficient diet and decreased the relative ventricle weights. Time course studies revealed that chicks are hatched with high relative ventricular weights (.83% of body wt) and remain at that level among chicks fed the phosphorus deficient diet. The addition of vanadium or phosphate to the diet resulted in a progressive decrease in relative ventricular weights. The inclusion of vanadium in the diet resulted in increased serum phosphorus levels among the deficient chicks that may be related to the decrease in mortality and relative ventricle weights.