Application of nano-dicalcium phosphate in broiler nutrition: Performance and excreted calcium and phosphorus

Abstract

Background: The environmental issues related to the presence of phosphorus (P) in poultry excreta have led the researchers to manipulate the diet of poultry in order to decrease the P excretion without having any negative impact on the performance of birds. Presently, added minerals are used as nanoparticles in order to increase absorption and subsequent decreased presence in poultry excreta. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to study the effect of dietary nano-dicalcium phosphate (NDCP) compared to conventional dicalcium phosphate (CDCP) on performance and excreted calcium (Ca) and P in broiler chicken. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and eighty one day-old male broiler chicks were divided into seven treatment groups for a period of 26 days. Seven experimental diets were formulated having three levels of either CDCP or NDCP at 1.75, 1.31 and 0.88% and a lower level of NDCP at 0.44%. Thus, these diets contained 100, 75, 50 and 25% of the recommended non-phytate P i.e., 0.45%. The diet having 1.75% CDCP (100% recommended non-phytate P) served as a control diet. Every dietary treatment had 4 replicates of 10 chicks each. Broiler performance, Ca and P excretion were studied. Results: Birds fed different levels of NDCP gained significant more body weight (p<0.05) and utilized feed more efficiently than the control group (1.75% CDCP). Decreasing levels of CDCP led to decrease in body weight gain and impaired feed conversion ratio compared to the control group. Values of body weight gain and feed intake increased by about 25 and 10%, respectively, feed conversion ratio improved by about 12% for birds fed NDCP compared to those fed CDCP. Level of dietary DCP significantly (p<0.001) affected Ca and P excretion while source of DCP significantly (p<0.001) affected P excretion but had no effect on (p>0.05) Ca excretion. Feeding 0.44% NDCP in the diet decreased the excreted Ca and P by 50.74 and 46.24%, respectively, compared to the control. Conclusion: It could be concluded that using NDCP in broiler diets allow successfully to reduce the dietary DCP by 75%. Diet formulated containing only 25% of the required non phytate P in form of NDCP could be used instead of 100% CDCP. Also, using dicalcium phosphate in nanoparticle size allow to reduce the excreted Ca and P by about 50% which reduce the impact of poultry on environmental pollution.