Electrolytes in Normal and Dystrophic Chickens as Influenced by Dietary Potassium

Abstract

Summary

Normal and genetically dys-trophic chickens showed different responses in electrolyte balance when fed two different levels of potassium. Dystrophic chickens had significantly higher levels of sodium, potassium, and calcium in their pectoral muscle, significantly higher sodium and lower magnesium levels in their gastrocnemius muscle, and no significant differences in the electrolyte levels of their cardiac muscle compared with normal chicks. Electrolyte composition was greatly affected in the pectoral muscle, less affected in the gastrocnemius muscle, and unaffected in the cardiac muscle in the normal chicks when potassium was increased from 0.5 to 1%. In dystrophic chicks, however, only the gastrocnemius muscle was affected by an increase in dietary potassium.