Effect of Dietary Calcium, Phosphorus, and Vitamin D3 on Alkaline Phosphatase Activity of Intestinal Mucosa of Chicks

Abstract

Diets with varying levels of Ca, inorganic phosphorus (P1), and vitamin D3 were fed to chicks from 1 day of age. Alkaline phosphatase of intestinal mucosa was twofold higher at 3 weeks in female chicks fed 0.16% of P1 than in chicks fed 0.48% of P1 when the diets contained 7500 I.C.U. of vitamin D3 per kilogram and 1% of Ca. The effect of low dietary P1 was less pronounced when the diets contained 450 I.C.U. of vitamin D3 per kilogram and 1% of Ca but no definite pattern in enzyme activities due to level of P1 was observed with 0.53% of Ca. In male chicks there was a small but consistent increase (35–45%) in the activity of intestinal phosphatase when the diets were low in Ca, P1, or both. The level of vitamin D3 had no effect on the intestinal enzyme in male birds.