Effect of azomite on growth performance, nutrient utilization, serum biochemical index and bone mineralization of broilers fed low protein diet

The present study investigated the effect of Azomite (AZO) on the growth performance, nutrient utilisation, and bone mineralisation of broilers fed low protein diet. A total number of 180 one-day-old male chicks were randomly distributed to three treatment groups having six replicates of 10 birds each. Experimental diets included; positive control (PC) with 21.5% CP (starter) and 19.0% CP (finisher), negative control (NC) with 2% lower CP than PC in each period and treatment group (AZO-0.25) in which NC was supplemented with 0.25% AZO. Azomite significantly (p < .05) improved live body weight, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio, but not the feed intake, as compared to NC. Eviscerated, breast muscle and leg muscle percentages were significantly (p < .05) higher in the birds fed AZO-0.25 than NC, while abdominal fat (AF) percentage was significantly (p > .05) higher in NC. Azomite improved the digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), apparent metabolisable energy (AME), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) (p < .05) compared to the NC. Trypsin activity was increased (p < .05) in birds fed diet with AZO-0.25 compared with NC. Blood creatinine, growth hormone (GH) and calcitonin (CT) was also higher (p < .05) in birds supplemented with AZO-0.25. Treatment also affected (p < .05) the tibia breaking strength (TBS), ash, Ca and P contents. Overall, AZO improved the growth performance, nutrient utilisation and tibia mineralisation in broilers fed with low CP diet, which looks an economically promising approach.HIGHLIGHTS The dietary supplementation of Azomite improved the growth and nutrient utilisation in broiler chicken. The efficiency of digestive enzymes and digestibility was enhanced by dietary Azomite. Dietary Azomite improved the tibia breaking strength and bone mineralisation in broiler chicken.