Effects of Dietary Zinc Alginate Complex Supplementation on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilisation ,Tibia bone characteristics, Ileum morphology, Carcass characteristics, Meat quality and Footpad Health in Broiler Chicken

Abstract

A biological trial was carried out with 256 numbers of sex-separated day-old broiler chicks distributed to four experimental groups with eight replicates, each replicate consisting of eight chicks. The experimental basal diet supplemented with zinc oxide (T₁) at 80 ppm and three levels of zinc alginate complex at 56,45 and 34 ppm were designated as dietary treatments (T₂, T₃ and T₄). At the end of 35 days T₄, T₃ and T₂ groups had significantly (P < 0.01) higher body weight and FCR compared to the zinc oxide group and average daily feed intake (g/bird) was comparable among the zinc alginate complex groups and the zinc oxide-supplemented group. The tibial zinc was significantly (P < 0.01) increased with a low level of inclusion of zinc alginate complex compared to the zinc oxide group. However, serum zinc was not statistically significant, but the lower inclusion of zinc alginate complex at 34 ppm had numerically higher serum zinc concentration than the zinc oxide group. The zinc alginate complex at 34 ppm and 56 ppm significantly (P < 0.05) increased the dry matter digestibility and crude protein digestibility. At 34 ppm and 45 ppm significantly (P > 0.05) increased tibial bone length. The ileal villi height and ileal villi height to crypt depth ratio (VH: CD) were significantly (P < 0.01) increased in the zinc alginate complex. Overall, these findings underscore the potential benefits of zinc alginate complex in enhancing nutrient utilization, and growth performance in poultry farming.