Effects of dietary calcium and phosphorus restrictions on growth performance, intestinal morphology, nutrient retention, and tibia characteristics in broiler chickens

ABSTRACT

1. This study evaluated the effects of dietary calcium (Ca)‎ and available phosphorus (aP) restrictions on growth performance, intestinal morphology, nutrient apparent total tract retention (ATTR), and tibia characteristics.2. A total of 1296, one-day-old male Ross-308 broilers were reared for 42 d. During the ‎starter phase (1-10 d), all birds were fed a nutrient-adequate diet (C). Diets fed during the grower phase (11-24 d) included: 1. C; 2. 15% of the Ca and aP in C; 3. 30% of the Ca and aP in C. At the beginning of the finisher phase (25 d), chickens fed the C diet were divided into two subgroups including C, and C+ phytase (500 FTU/kg). Restricted treatments were divided into eight subgroups as 1. C; 2. 10% of the Ca and aP in C; 3. 20% of the Ca and aP in C; 4. 30% of the Ca and aP in C; 5. C+ phytase; 6. 10% of the Ca and aP in C+ phytase; 7. 20% of the Ca and aP in C+ phytase and 8. 30% of the Ca and aP in C+ phytase. 3. On d 24 and 42, ATTR of Ca and phytate phosphorus (pP) were linearly increased by decreasing Ca and aP levels (P < 0.05). Birds receiving phytase showed higher nutrient ATTR ‎compared to those fed non-phytase supplemented diets (P < 0.05). Tibia Ca and P were linearly decreased at 24 d (P < 0.05) and tibial ash was linearly decreased (P < 0.05) at 42 d by decreasing levels of Ca and aP in finisher diets (without phytase)‎. By decreasing the levels of Ca and aP in the finisher diets (with phytase) with a 30% reduction of Ca and aP in the grower phase, tibia ash linearly decreased (P < 0.05). Using 500 FTU/kg phytase improved tibia traits compared to non-phytase supplemented treatments (P < 0.05).4. In general, decreasing dietary Ca and aP (up to 30%) during grower and finisher phases increased ATTR of minerals and decreased Ca, P and breaking strength (BS) of tibia without any negative effect on growth performance or intestinal morphology. Reduced dietary Ca and aP decreased tibial ash content, although 500 FTU/kg phytase improved ATTR of minerals and tibia attributes.

KEYWORDS:

• Digestibility
• gastrointestinal tract
• ash
• nutrition
• bone mineralisation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors express their gratitude to the vice president for research at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad for funding this research [project number 47241].