Carcass characteristics and bone measurements of broilers fed nano dicalcium phosphate containing diets

Abstract

Background: A broiler experiment was carried to study the effect of using nano dicalcium phosphate (NDCP) compared with the conventional dicalcium phosphate (CDCP) on carcass characteristics and bone measurements. Materials and Methods: Seven groups of one day-old (Ross 308) male broilers were fed on seven experimental diets. Diets were formulated to contain three levels of CDCP or NDCP being, 1.75, 1.31 and 0.88% and a less level of NDCP being 0.44%. These levels supplied 100, 75, 50 or 25% of the recommended dietary available P requirement, correspondingly. Diet of 1.75% CDCP served as a control. The Ca: P ratio was kept 2:1 in all the diets. At the 26th day of age, carcass characteristics and tibia bone parameters were measurements. Results: No significant differences were detected on liver, heart and gizzard weights (% of live body weight) among all treatments while carcass weight represents live body weight. Using NDCP instead of CDCP showed significant (p<0.001) increase in the measured bone parameters. Birds fed 0.44% dietary NDCP showed comparable values of tibia weight, length, width and breaking strength as those fed 1.75% CDCP. The NDCP increased tibia ash, Ca and P% by 4.61, 3.62 and 4.28%, respectively, compared to CDCP. The results of bone mineral density reflected the values obtained for tibia ash, Ca and P%. Conclusion: It could be concluded that using NDCP instead of CDCP improved all the measured bone parameters. Diets formulated containing only 25% of the required available P level in form of NDCP could be used instead of using 100% of the requirements in form of CDCP. The dietary dicalcium phosphat level could be successfully decreased from 1.75-0.44% when used in form of nano particle size. Dicalcium phosphate in nanoparticle size was of about 400% as available as the conventional dicalcium phosphate.