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

Figures & data

Table 1. Ingredient composition of experimental basal diet.

  

	Positive control		Negative control		AZO-0.25
Ingredients%	Starter	Finisher	Starter	Finisher	Starter	Finisher
Corn	57.47	59.47	63.94	66.24	63.94	66.24
Soy bean Oil	1.50	4.32	0.52	3.45	0.52	3.45
Soy Bean	30.96	25.05	25.51	19.1	25.51	19.1
CSM	5.00	7.00	5.00	7.00	5.00	7.00
Salt	0.35	0.35	0.35	0.35	0.30	0.30
CaHPO4	1.53	1.39	1.50	1.40	1.50	1.40
Lime stone	1.54	1.40	1.61	1.44	1.51	1.34
Lys	0.24	0.22	0.21	0.26	0.21	0.26
Met	0.14	0.15	0.11	0.13	0.11	0.13
Cys	0.07	0.04	0.05	0.02	0.05	0.02
Chol	0.20	0.01	0.20	0.01	0.20	0.01
Premix^a	0.50	0.10	0.50	0.10	0.50	0.10
Zeolite	0.50	0.50	0.50	0.50	0.40	0.40
Azomite	–	–	–	–	0.25	0.25
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100
Nutritional value of diet
ME (kJ/kg)	12342.8	12761.2	12342.8	12761.2	12342.8	12761.2
Protein (%)	21.50	19.00	19.50	17.00	19.50	17.00
Lys (%)	1.200	1.050	1.050	0.950	1.050	0.950
Met (%)	0.450	0.440	0.400	0.400	0.400	0.400
Met + Cys (%)	0.900	0.800	0.800	0.710	0.800	0.710
Thr (%)	0.866	0.724	0.778	0.640	0.778	0.640
Trp (%)	0.311	0.248	0.279	0.212	0.279	0.212
Ca (%)	0.990	0.904	0.990	0.906	0.987	0.898
Total P (%)	0.679	0.669	0.661	0.61	0.661	0.61
Avail P (%)	0.456	0.552	0.451	0.549	0.451	0.549

^aThe premix provided (for 1 kg of diets) VA 10000 IU, VB1 1.8 mg, VB2 40 mg, VB12 0.71 mg, VD3 2000 IU, VE 10 IU, VK3 2.5 mg, biotin 0.12 mg, folic acid 0.5 mg, D-pantothenic acid 11 mg, Cu (as copper sulfate) 8 mg, Fe (as ferrous sulfate) 80 mg, Mn (as manganese sulfate) 60 mg, Zn (as zinc sulfate) 40 mg, I (as potassium iodide) 0.0.35 mg and Se (as sodium selenite) 0.15 mg.

Table 2. Mineral analysis of Azomite (provided by the Taiwan Lytton Company China).

Mineral	g/100g/mg/kg
Calcium oxide	5.17 g/100g
Potassium oxide	5.18 g/100g
Sodium oxide	2 g/100g
Magnesium oxide	0.78 g/100g
Sulfur trioxide	0.21 g/100g
Ferric oxide / iron	1.37 g/100g
Manganese oxide	0.02 g/100g
Zinc	64.3 mg/kg
Cobalt	22.3 mg/kg
Copper	13.5 mg/kg
Molybdenum	12.6 mg/kg
Fluorine	320 mg/kg
Lithium	859 mg/kg
Boron	29 mg/kg
Chromium	7.85 mg/kg
Lanthanum	257 mg/kg
Cerium	360 mg/kg
Praseodymium	26.75 mg/kg
Tungsten	31.00 mg/kg
Vanadium	9.35 mg/kg
Nickel	2.27 mg/kg
Tin	2.90 mg/kg

Table 3. Effect of Azomite on growth performance in broiler chickens fed low protein diet.

Parameters	PC	NC	AZO - 0.25	SEM	P Value
Starter 1–21 day
One-day-old Weight	41.45^a	41.44^a	41.40^a	0.02	0.989
LBW(g)	938^a	906^b	957^a	1.29	0.043
ADG(g)	44.69^ab	43.16^b	45.57^a	0.62	0.046
ADFI(g)	58.62	58.75	59.36	0.58	0.463
FCR	1.31^b	1.36^a	1.30^b	0.09	0.006
Finisher 1–42 day
LBW	2735^a	2565^b	2790^a	12.9	0.001
ADG	65.11^a	61.07^b	66.44^a	0.87	0.008
ADFI	97.77^b	101.61^a	101.86^a	0.84	0.006
FCR	1.54^a	1.66^b	1.53^a	0.01	0.002

^a,b,cMeans in same row with no common superscript differ significantly (p < .05). PC: Positive Control; NC: Negative Control; AZO-025: Azomite 0.25%; LBW: live body weight; ADG: average daily gain, ADFI: average daily feed intake; FCR: feed conversion ratio.

Table 4. Effect of Azomite on carcase performance in broiler chickens fed low protein diet.

Parameter	PC	NC	AZO – 0.25	SEM	P Value
EV%	70.74^a	69.31^b	71.68^a	0.30	0.040
BM%	15.75^a	14.45^b	16.00^a	0.10	0.015
LM%	10.98^a	10.45^b	11.14^a	0.11	0.027
AF%	1.85^b	2.15	1.68^b	0.06	0.491
Thymus%	1.34	1.22	1.42	0.10	0.744
Bursa%	0.32	0.30	0.32	0.01	0.921
Spleen%	0.84	0.79	0.80	0.05	0.920

^a,b,cMeans in same row with no common superscript differ significantly (p < .05). PC: Positive Control; NC: Negative Control; AZO-025: Azomite 0.25%; EV: eviscerated; BM: breast muscle; LM: leg muscle; AF: abdominal fat.

Table 5. Effect of Azomite on digestibility percentage of nutrients in broiler chickens fed low protein diet.

Parameter	PC	NC	AZO - 0.25	SEM	P Value
DM%	73.91^ab	70.74^b	75.67^a	0.07	0.016
CP%	66.16^b	64.86^b	67.18^a	0.07	0.037
ME%	76.98^a	73.71^b	77.85^a	0.05	0.002
Ash%	62.40^a	57.47^b	63.26^a	0.10	0.051
P%	45.55^ab	42.72^b	48.83^a	0.01	0.037
Ca%	51.49^a	46.72^b	54.17^a	0.01	0.002

^a,b,cMeans in same row with no common superscript differ significantly (p < .05). PC: Positive Control; NC: Negative Control; AZO-025: Azomite 0.25%; DM: dry matter; CP: crude protein; ME: metabolisable energy; Ca: calcium; P: phosphorus.

Table 6. Effect of Azomite on enzyme activity in broiler chickens fed low protein diet.

Parameter	PC	NC	AZO - 0.25	SEM	P Value
Lipase (U/mg of protein)	288.82	266	279	8.69	0.645
Amylase (U/mg of protein)	3.91	3.55	3.90	0.13	0.496
Trypsin (U/mg of protein)	178.38^a	118.88^b	198.66^a	12.51	0.022

^a,b,cMeans in same row with no common superscript differ significantly (p < .05). PC: Positive Control; NC: Negative Control; AZO-025: Azomite 0.25%.

Table 7. Effect of Azomite on serum biochemical parameters of broiler fed low protein diet.

Parameter	PC	NC	AZO - 0.25	SEM	P Value
TC mmol/L	2.78	2.85	2.74	0.05	0.191
CREAT mmol/L	14.71^a	13.63^b	14.90^a	0.22	0.007
UA μmol/L	344.80	310.80	362.60	30.6	0.716
GLU mmol/L	9.64	9.34	10.20	0.27	0.474
IgA g/L	1.19	1.01	1.22	0.05	0.264
IgM g/L	0.83	0.64	0.95	0.06	0.175
IgG g/L	7.58	6.88	7.95	0.27	0.303
GH (ng/ml)	3.91^a	3.17±^b	4.39^a	0.18	0.012
CT pg./ml	88.1^a	68.12^b	103.9^a	2.31	0.045
PTH pg./ml	24.43	26.34	22.5	1.43	0.056

^a,b,cMeans in same row with no common superscript differ significantly (p < .05). PC: Positive Control; NC: Negative Control; AZO-025: Azomite 0.25%. TC: total cholesterol; CREAT: creatinine; UA: uric acid; GLU: glucose; Ig: immunoglobulin; GH: growth hormone; CT: Calcitonin; PTH: parathyroid hormone.

Table 8. Effect of Azomite on tibia breaking strength, Ash, P and Ca contents% in broiler chickens fed low protein diet.

Parameter	PC	NC	AZO - 0.25	SEM	P Value
TWT (g)	7.51	6.73	7.76	0.20	0.082
TL (cm)	8.77	7.68	9.02	0.26	0.091
TD (cm)	0.86	0.79	0.87	0.01	0.106
TBS (kg)	22.45^a	19.57^b	24.65^a	1.17	0.033
Ash%	47.88^b	46.65^b	50.18^a	0.04	0.003
P%	7.72^b	7.41^b	8.56^a	0.17	0.007
Ca%	17.22^a	13.75^b	18.23^a	0.78	0.031

^a,b,cMeans in same row with no common superscript differ significantly (p < .05). PC: Positive Control; NC: Negative Control; AZO-025: Azomite 0.25%; TWT: tibia weight; TL: tibia length; TD: tibia diameter; TBS: tibia breaking strength; Ca: calcium; P: phosphorus.