The effect of different dietary sodium levels on the growth performance of broiler chickens, gastrointestinal function, excreta moisture and tibia mineralization
Journal Title: Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences - Year 2011, Vol 20, Issue 1
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the response of broiler chickens to different dietary sodium (Na) levels. The experiment was performed on 432 male Ross 308 chickens, kept in threetier battery cages, each with a floor area of 0.5 m2 . The chickens were divided into six experimental groups of eight replicates, each of nine birds. Six experimental diets were prepared: a basal diet without additional Na source and diets supplemented with NaCl in the amount of 0.52, 1.03, 1.54, 2.05 and 2.54 g/kg in the starter period (1-14 days) and 1.27, 2.54, 3.82, 5.09 and 6.36 g/ kg in the grower period (15-35 days). The dietary Na, Cl and K content was 0.22-2.61, 1.11-4.81 and 8.76-9.61 g/kg, respectively. Dietary electrolyte balance (DEB), defined as Na+ + K+ - Cl- , averaged 210 mEq/kg in all diets. The Na content of basal diets was very low (0.33 g/kg in starter diets and 0.22 g/kg in grower diets). It inhibited the growth of broilers despite a high DEB resulting from a high K content (about 9 g/kg). The addition of NaCl to starter diets significantly increased the body weight (BW) of chickens, but only to the amount of 1.1 g Na per kg feed. The addition of 2.54 g NaCl per kg grower diets increased the Na and Cl content of the diet to 1.16 g/kg and 2.68 g/kg, respectively, leading to a significant improvement in overall production results, slaughter value and tibia mineralization, without negative effect on excreta moisture. A further increase in the Na content of grower diets (to 1.69, 2.18 and 2.61 g/kg, respectively), accompanied by an increase in Cl concentrations (to 3.38, 4.11 and 4.81 g/kg, respectively) did not increase the BW of chickens, feed conversion efficiency and slaughter value, while it increased excreta moisture and decreased parameters characterizing the mineralization and elasticity of the tibia in birds fed a diet with the highest Na content (2.61 g/ kg). As compared to the group fed the basal diet, the medium and highest Na dosages significantly decreased pH and dry matter concentration of small intestine contents; the treatment with the highest dietary Na levels stimulated bacterial β-glucosidase and β-glucuronidase, yet it did not increase the caecal short-chain fatty acids concentration.
Authors and Affiliations
J. Jankowski, Z. Zduńczyk, P. Kwieciński
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP74715
- DOI -
- Views 99
- Downloads 0
Modelling of individual lactation curves of Tunisian Holstein-Friesian cows for milk yield, fat, and protein contents using parametric, orthogonal and spline models
Different equations were employed to directly model individual lactation curves of Tunisian Holstein-Friesian cows using 260 241 test day records for milk yield, fat, and protein contents. Eleven mathematical models were...
Genetic parameters for lactose percentage in the milk of Polish Holstein-Friesians
Genetic parameters for lactose percentage in the milk of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows were estimated using 48,859 test day records from six lactations of 8,418 cows and the Gibbs sampling method. The multiple-trait rand...
Chemical composition, antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds of vegetation species ingested by goats on semiarid rangelands
The first goal of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition of vegetation consumed by goats on semiarid rangelands. Secondly, antioxidant activity and identified bioactive compounds of this vegetation were esti...
Effects of some non-genetic factors on concentration of urea in milk in Polish Holstein-Fresian cows
The objective of this study was to estimate lactation curves of milk urea concentration for primiparous Polish Holstein-Friesian cows, milked in different months and air temperatures, using random regression test-day mod...
The effect of starch source on physicochemical and sensory quality of veal meat
The influence on veal meat quality of replacing barley grain or dry maize (50% by weight) in feed mixtures for calves with ensiled high-moisture maize grain was investigated. Sixteen veal calves were assigned to 4 equal...