Effect of natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) on the performance and litter quality of broiler chickens

Abstract

This work was conducted to study the effect of dietary supplementation with natural zeolite on the performance and litter quality of broilers. In a randomized complete block experimental design, 480-day-old Cobb-500 broilers were divided into 4 treatments with 4 replicates each and 30 chicks per replicate. The dietary treatments consisted of a control wheat-corn-soybean meal diet (C) and 3 others contained 1.0%, 2.0%, or 3.0% zeolite for Z1, Z2, and Z3 treatments, respectively. Feed intake was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in Z1, Z2, and Z3 treatments as compared to the control diet. Compared to the control, diets containing 2% and 3% of zeolite showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in body weight gain and feed conversion ratio for the total period. The dietary addition of zeolite significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the organic content in litter samples throughout the experimental period. The results of this study showed that the dietary addition of natural zeolite at inclusion rates of 2% and 3% had a positive effect on feed conversion ratio, body weight gain, and litter quality of broilers. © TÜBITAK.