Effect of minerals on the incidence of leg abnormalities in growing broiler chicks
1990
Nelson, T.S. | Kirby, L.K. | Johnson, Z.B.
Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of the mineral content of the diet on the incidence of varus deformation and dyschondroplasia in broiler chicks grown to 3 weeks of age. Blood samples were analyzed for pH, pCO2, bicarbonate and base excess. Experiment 1 had a 2 X 3 factoral arrangement of treatments with .25 or .50% available phosphorus and .60, .90 or 1.20% calcium. Experiment 2 employed a 2 X 2 X 2 factoral treatment arrangement with .40 or .80% available phosphorus, .60 or 1.20% calcium and 0 or .36% added magnesium. In Experiment 1, increasing the phosphorus content of the diet decreased (P<.10) mortality, incidence of dyschondroplasia (P<.10) and varus deformation (P<.05). Increasing the calcium content to 1.20% in the diet containing .25% phosphorus increased mortality (P<.05). The decrease in the incidence of dyschondroplasia with increasing levels of calcium was not significant (P>.05). Blood parameters were not affected by any of the treatments. In Experiment 2, increasing the available phosphorus content of the diet from .40 to .80% increased (P<.05) the incidence of dyschondroplasia but had no effect on any other criteria measured. Increasing the calcium content of the diet from .60 to 1.20% decreased (P<.05) the incidence of dyschondroplasia and increased (P<.05) blood pH. Adding .36% magnesium to the diet had no effect on any of the criteria measured.
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