Comparison of the Effects of Clinoptilolite and Sodium Zeolite A on Tibia Bone Mineralisation and Calcium and Phosphorus Utilisation in Broiler Chicks

ABSTRACT:A total of 320 Ross 308 seven-day old male broiler chicks were assigned to five treatments with four replicates, each containing 16 chicks and effects of clinoptilolite (1.5 and 3%) and sodium zeolite A (1.5 and 3%) were examined. The different levels of clinoptilolite affected body weight gain in periods of 22-42 and 7-42 days, so that the chicks given clinoptilolite (1.5 and 3%) showed a significant increase in body weight gain than control group that did not received clinoptilolite and sodium zeolite A (P < 0.05). Adding clinoptilolite (1.5%) to the diet caused a significant improvement in feed conversion ratio during 22-42 and 7-42 days of age (P < 0.05). But sodium zeolite A hadn’t significant effect on feed conversion ratio (P > 0.05). The effect of various levels of clinoptilolite and sodium zeolite A on apparent digestibility of calcium were not significant in day of 21 (P > 0.05). But digestibility of calcium significantly improved in broilers were fed with clinoptilolite (1.5%) in day of 42 (P < 0.05). The highest amount of blood calcium obtained in broilers were fed with sodium zeolite A (1.5%) and clinoptilolite (1.5%) (P < 0.05). The sodium zeolite A affected tibia weight in day of 42, so that the chicks given sodium zeolite A (1.5%) showed a significant increase in tibia weight than control group (P < 0.05). The highest tibia ash were obtained in broilers were fed with sodium zeolite A (1.5%) (P < 0.05). Therefore, it can be concluded that the supplementation of diet with clinoptilolite and sodium zeolite A has positive effects on performance and tibia bone quality in broilers.