Phosphorus in Poultry Nutrition

THE metabolism of phytin phosphorus by the chick and the turkey poult and its relationship to vitamin D from different sources has been studied by several investigators during the last few years. (Singsen and Mitchell, 1945; Matterson, Scott and Singsen, 1946; Singsen, Matterson and Scott, 1947; Gillis, Norris and Heuser, 1949.) These studies indicated (1) that the phosphorus of phytin was poorly utilized by the poult and the chick for bone calcification although it appeared to support some growth and (2) that the source and level of vitamin D had a marked effect upon calcification as measured by the percent bone ash when phytin was the major source of phosphorus. Radioactive phosphorus (P32) seemed to offer real possibilities for obtaining further information on the metabolism of phytin phosphorus and its relationship with vitamin D, provided a natural form of phytin containing P32 could be prepared. The studies of Newman and . . .