Effect of Vitamin D3 Supplementation to Diets Containing Sub-Optimal Levels of Calcium and Non-Phytate Phosphorus on Performance of Vanaraja Breeder Chicks
2011
Panda, A.K. | Rao, S.V. Rama | Raju, M.V.L.N. | Sunder, G. Shyam
An experiment was conducted on Vanaraja breeder (female parent line) chicks (432) to estimate the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation (200, 1200, 2400 IU/kg) in diets containing various levels of calcium (Ca) and non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) at a constant ratio of 2:1 (0.6:0.3; 0.7:0.35; 0.8:0.4;, respectively) during 0 to 6 weeks of age. Feed conversion ratio, leg abnormality score, serum Ca and P concentrations, tibia length and weight, Ca and P content of tibia ash were influenced by the interaction between the concentrations of Ca: NPP and vitamin D3 in the diet. However, body weight gain, serum protein concentration and tibia ash content were not influenced by dietary treatments. Enhancing the vitamin D3 content from 200 to 1200 IU/kg in the diet containing 0.6; Ca and 0.3; NPP significantly improved feed conversion ratio, lowered leg abnormality and increased the tibia weight, which was comparable with other test diets. Serum concentrations of Ca and P and tibia length increased significantly by increasing the concentration of vitamin D3 from 200 to 2400 IU/kg at the lowest Ca: NPP diet (0.6:0.3). However, this was not different from 1200 IU/kg vitamin D3 diet. The results obtained on 0.6; Ca, 0.3; NPP and 1200 IU/kg vitamin D3 was comparable with those of 0.7:0.35 and 0.8:0.4, Ca: NPP diets, irrespective of the levels of vitamin D3 tested. Considering the overall performance, it was concluded that Ca and NPP levels in Vanaraja Breeder chicks can be reduced to 0.6 and 0.3;, respectively by maintaining the vitamin D3 level at 1200 IU/kg diet.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Indian Council of Agricultural Research