Relative Bioavailability of Different Zinc Sources Based on Tissue Zinc Concentration in Broiler Chickens

This research project was conducted to evaluate bioavailability and chemical properties of different zinc sources in broiler chickens when fed by practical diets. For that, 312 day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were fed from 8-28 day to estimate the biological availability of four zinc sources. Chicks were allocated randomly to 13 experimental diets in a 3 × 4 factorial design. Diets included an unsupplemented corn-soybean meal basal diet, or the basal diet supplemented with 100, 150 or 200 mg/kg of DM as either zinc sources. Supplementation of basal diets by different zinc levels and sources had no effects on feed intake and body weight gain of chicks during the first and the second weeks of experimental periods, but feed conversion ratio in the first and the second week, feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio in the third week and the total experimental periods were significant (P