Withdrawal of zinc oxide‐containing diets from mature, female domestic fowl: Effects on selected tissue mineral contents

Abstract

1. Two hundred and sixteen laying hens of two strains were given diets containing ZnO to provide 0, 0.5, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 2.00, 3.00 or 4.00 g added Zn/kg. These diets were offered ad libitum for 5 consecutive 28‐d periods. All hens were subsequently offered the control diet with no added ZnO for 5 weeks.

2. Four hens from each treatment were killed 0, 1 and 5 weeks after substitution of the ZnO‐supplemented diets by the control diet.

3. Dietary addition of ZnO significantly increased liver, kidneys, pancreas and gizzard Zn contents but this effect was rapidly reversed on removal of the ZnO‐containing diets.

4. Hepatic and renal Fe contents were significantly depressed by dietary ZnO but after substitution of these diets by the control diet the values were comparable to that of the controls.

5. Liver Cu content declined significantly as dietary ZnO concentration increased but there was a return towards normal after ZnO withdrawal. Renal, pancreatic and gizzard Cu contents showed quadratic responses to added ZnO.

6. After ZnO withdrawal for 5 weeks, pancreas Cu contents declined linearly, whereas renal and gizzard Cu values were similar for all treatments.

7. Overall the long‐term feeding of ZnO‐supplemented diets followed by a period of withdrawal of the ZnO supplement had no detrimental effects on tissue mineral contents.