Effect of Feeding a High Calcium: Phosphorus Ratio, Phosphorous Deficient Diet on Hypophosphatemic Rickets Onset in Broilers

Lei Xu, Ning Li, Yuhua Z. Farnell, Xiaoli Wan, Haiming Yang, Xiangqian Zhong and Morgan B. Farnell
Additional contact information
Lei Xu: College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Ning Li: College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Yuhua Z. Farnell: Department of Poultry Science, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Xiaoli Wan: College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Haiming Yang: College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Xiangqian Zhong: Suqian Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station, Suqian 223800, China
Morgan B. Farnell: Department of Poultry Science, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: Recently, a P-deficient diet caused rickets in commercial chicks within three days. This study aimed to investigate the duration of onset of rickets in chicks. Data were collected from 3–11 day old chicks raised on 88 commercial farms. Male day-old Arbor Acres Plus broilers (n = 450) were studied in three trials, with three to four treatments each. Each treatment used one of the following crumbled feeds: control feed (calcium (Ca): phosphorus (P)-1.41), slightly high Ca:P feed (SHCa:P, Ca:P-2.69), high Ca:P ratio, P deficient feed (HCa:P, Ca:P-3.08), and HCa:P feed plus 1.5% dicalcium phosphate (HCa:P + DP). Each treatment had three replicates with 15 birds each. Rickets was induced by HCa:P, and cured by HCa:P + DP, confirmed by gross anatomy, gait score, serum P concentration and growth performance. Lameness was not found in control groups, whereas, observed in the HCa:P groups as early as day 2.7 on commercial farms and day 3 in experimental farm. Serum P was reduced in HCa:P ( p < 0.01). Bodyweight and feed intake started decreasing at day 3 on commercial farms and in all trials ( p < 0.01). The duration of onset of hypophosphatemic rickets in broiler chicks fed HCa:P crumbled feed is approximately three days.

Keywords: lameness; broiler chicken; poultry; hypophosphatemic rickets; Ca:P ratio; phosphorus deficiency; phosphorus requirement; duration of onset; animal nutrition; animal husbandry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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