Utilization of Calcium from Calcite Powder in Dairy Cattle

Mineral supplements are nutritional devices to fortify the normal feeds and fodders in the areas to meet the mineral needs of livestock and poultry at specific levels of animal productivity. Minerals may constitute a small fraction of the total ration but these micronutrients perform vital role in the body. Mineral supplements are crucially important to the health and productivity of livestock.On tracing the history of Ca supplements for use in mineral mixture; it appears that use of different sources remained changing, during the past century. The present study was undertaken to evaluate calcite powder as a source of calcium (Ca) for dairy animals. Unfortunately there is no literature on the availability/ utilization of Ca from calcite powder in livestock although; calcite has been used as a buffer in high milk producing cows (Keyser et al., 1985). Keeping the above in view. The effect of adding excess calcite powder was also studied. I hope this book will be useful to those working in the field of Animal scientists( nutritionist),soil scientist, human nutritionist etc. because the way of analysis of minerals is the same to all.