The effects of particulate limestone and 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol in broiler chicken diets on the mechanical properties of bones

Abstract

In an experiment carried out on 560 broiler chickens, the effect of supplementing diets with particulate limestone (grit, diameter 1.2-4 mm) and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D3) on selected biomechanical parameters of tibia bones was studied. Replacement of 30% of pulverized limestone by grit increased ultimate load, yielding load and stiffness of tibias at 43 days of age. Partial or complete substitution of 25-OH-D3 for cholecalciferol positively affected yielding load and stiffness of bones. The best quality of tibia bones was found in chickens fed a diet with simultaneous addition of grit and replacement of 90 or 100% of cholecalciferol by 25-OH-D3.