[Calcium metabolism in lactating goats: influence of sodium oxalate, sodium citrate and EDTA].

The influence of 2 p. 100 sodium oxalate, 4,57 p. 100 sodium citrate and 0,4 p. 100 Na2EDTA on various aspects of calcium metabolism and on milk characteristics has been studied in lactating goats. Sodium oxalate leads to no modifications of the variables studied : digestibility coefficient, biological valu+, coefficient of nutritive utilization and the coefficient of body retention. The only appreciable effect of sodium oxalate was on the amount of absorbed and utilized calcium which is diverted towards milk. These two values are decreased in the presence of oxalate. When sodium oxalate and sodium citrate were simultaneously added to the diet, citrate was shown to have no effect on digestibility, biological value, the coefficient of nutritive utilization and the coefficient of body retention, but did, however, considerably increase the amount of utilized calciun which was diverted towards milk. Concerning Na2EDTA, despite its higher calcium mobilizing power, it had no effect on the digestibility coefficient, the biological value, the coefficient of nutritive utilization and the coefficient of body retention; neither did it have an effect on the level of incorporation of calcium into milk. Calcium digestibility was cleorly higher in the latter two groups, where calcium ingestion was lower and milk production higher, conditions which both favorize calcium absorption.