We hypothesized that ruminants discriminate among different mineral supplements and modify their selection as a function of need. Forty lambs were offered four‐way choices among P, Ca, and Mg sources: monosodium phosphate (MSP), Magnesium phosphate (MGP), Monocalcium phosphate (MCP), and Dicalcium phosphate (DCP); and two‐way choices between DCP and the other mineral sources (Baseline). Subsequently, lambs were randomly assigned to four groups (10 lambs/group) and fed rations such that levels of Ca and P were low (LCa_LP), adequate (NCa_NP), low in Ca and adequate in P (LCa_NP), or adequate in Ca and low in P (NCa_LP). Four‐ and two‐way choice tests were repeated (Post‐deficiency). During Baseline, lambs ate and preferred MSP > MGP>DCP = MCP (p < .0001), showing that they discriminated among minerals. This pattern remained during four‐way Post‐deficiency tests, but lambs in LCa_LP, LCa_NP, and NCa_LP showed increased preference for MCP, MGP, and DCP, respectively, relative to other groups and Baseline (p < .05). Some mineral preference also changed in relation to serum concentration of P and Ca. Thus, lambs discriminated among minerals and some groups modified their preferences from Baseline to Post‐deficiency choice tests, likely influenced by mineral needs, which in turn contributed to rectify mineral imbalances.

中文翻译：

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绵羊对钙和磷无机来源的偏好作为需求的函数

我们假设反刍动物会区分不同的矿物质补充剂，并根据需要修改它们的选择。四十只羔羊在 P、Ca 和 Mg 来源中提供四种选择：磷酸一钠 (MSP)、磷酸镁 (MGP)、磷酸一钙 (MCP) 和磷酸二钙 (DCP)；DCP 和其他矿物来源之间的双向选择（基线）。随后，羔羊被随机分配到四组（10 只羔羊/组）并喂养口粮，使得钙和磷水平低 (LCa_LP)、充足 (NCa_NP)、低钙和充足磷 (LCa_NP) 或充足Ca 和 P 含量低 (NCa_LP)。重复四路和双向选择测试（缺陷后）。在基线期间，羔羊进食并偏好 MSP > MGP> DCP = MCP ( p < .0001)，表明他们可以区分矿物质。这种模式在四向缺陷后测试中仍然存在，但相对于其他组和基线，LCa_LP、LCa_NP 和 NCa_LP 中的羔羊分别表现出对 MCP、MGP 和 DCP 的偏好增加 (p < .05 )  。一些矿物质的偏好也随着 P 和 Ca 的血清浓度而改变。因此，羔羊区分矿物质，一些群体将他们的偏好从基线修改为缺乏后选择测试，这可能受到矿物质需求的影响，这反过来有助于纠正矿物质失衡。