Objective: To identify the influence of enzymatic cattle bone, enzymatic fish bone and ultrafine-enzymatic cattle bone on apparent calcium absorption rate and bone density in rats.
Methods: Female SD rats were randomly divided into 9 groups with 10 rats in each group, and were fed with low- and high-enzymatic cattle bone diet, low- and high-enzymatic fish bone diet, low-and high-ultrafine-enzymatic cattle bone diet, low- and high-calcium carbonate diet and low calcium control diet for 13 weeks. The calcium content of the low and high experimental groups was 500 mg/100 g and 1000 mg/100 g, and the calcium content of the control group was 100 mg/100 g. 3-day calcium metabolic experiment was conducted by the end of the 3rd week. Bone density was assayed by the end of the 13th week.
Results: The apparent calcium absorption rate was related to the calcium content in diet in a range of 60.69% -65.84% in the low dose groups and 34.00% - 44.06% in the high dose groups. The apparent calcium absorption rate in experimental groups was obviously lower than that in the low calcium control group (P < 0.05). Bone density of rats in enzymatic cattle bone, enzymatic fish bone and ultrafine-enzymatic cattle bone groups were obviously higher than that in calcium carbonate group at the same calcium content in diet (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: According to the results of calcium apparent absorption rate and bone density, enzymatic cattle bone, enzymatic fish bone, ultrafine-enzymatic cattle bone, and calcium carbonate could be used as sources of calcium.