When a cow develops weak and brittle bones, which mineral is likely missing from her diet?

When a cow develops weak and brittle bones, which mineral is likely missing from her diet?

• A. Phosphorus
• B. Sodium
• C. Calcium
• D. Magnesium

Answer: (C)

Calcium is the mineral that directly builds and strengthens bone. Bones store most of the body's calcium and form rigid, mineralized tissue by combining calcium with phosphorus to create hydroxyapatite crystals. If the diet is deficient in calcium, those crystals don’t form properly, so bones become soft and brittle and can fracture more easily. Calcium is also crucial for muscle function and nerve signaling, and cows have higher calcium needs during milk production, which can further impact bone density if intake is low. Sodium mainly affects fluid balance and nerve impulses, not bone strength. Magnesium is important for many bodily processes and influences calcium metabolism, but a direct calcium shortage is the classic cause of brittle bones. Phosphorus matters for bone as well, but the most straightforward reason for brittle bones from diet is insufficient calcium.

Calcium is the mineral that directly builds and strengthens bone. Bones store most of the body's calcium and form rigid, mineralized tissue by combining calcium with phosphorus to create hydroxyapatite crystals. If the diet is deficient in calcium, those crystals don’t form properly, so bones become soft and brittle and can fracture more easily. Calcium is also crucial for muscle function and nerve signaling, and cows have higher calcium needs during milk production, which can further impact bone density if intake is low.

Sodium mainly affects fluid balance and nerve impulses, not bone strength. Magnesium is important for many bodily processes and influences calcium metabolism, but a direct calcium shortage is the classic cause of brittle bones. Phosphorus matters for bone as well, but the most straightforward reason for brittle bones from diet is insufficient calcium.