ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE February 2026 57 Skeletal abnormalities such as bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), enterococcus, and femoral head necrosis, are significantly more prevalent when ionized Ca levels drop below 1.1-1.2 mmol/L or when plasma total Ca concentration is below 10-10.5 mg/dL. Low plasma phosphorus, which is often associated with high plasma Ca, is also associated with skeletal abnormalities but most commonly is related to poor growth rate and body weight uniformity. ENVIRONMENTAL pH CAN IMPACT Ca LEVELS IN THE BLOOD Verax™ data has shown an association between the Ca and P status of the bird and season. This may be related to blood pH or a more general disruption to the acid/base balance of birds as ambient carbon dioxide concentrations rise and fall with altered respiratory tract health and ventilation rates. Blood pH is important as this influences the proportion of Ca that is metabolically active. This interplay is one example of why more systematic analysis of multiple data streams can shed light on underlying physiological changes relevant for efficiency and welfare. Further investigation is currently being carried out to assess seasonal variations in data held in the Verax™ platform, with the possibility of making recommendations for different feeding programs in warmer or colder seasons that go beyond the traditional adjustments made by nutritionists. Plasma P Low/High BW_kg vs. Age Age 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 BW_kg 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 High Low Figure 5. Body weight over time in birds with high (red line) or low (blue line) levels of plasma phosphorus (Source: dsm-firmenich, 2023) Photo: dsm-firmenich
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