Less organic trace minerals optimises poultry feed efficiency
QualiTech Animal Nutrition recently finished a trial showing 25% less organic trace minerals (SQM zinc) in poultry feed; the birds had greater overall bioavailability and optimized performance and efficiency.
A 42-d performance study was conducted utilizing 2,640 straight run broiler chicks in 88 pens containing 30 chicks per pen.
Bird weight was measured at the initiation of the study, midpoint of the study (21 days) and completion (42 days).
Feed efficiency was calculated based on total pen bird weight and total feed intake throughout the 42 day study. Birds were monitored daily for morbidity and mortality.
The trace mineral of interest in the study was zinc, provided by either an inorganic sulfate source or Qualitech SQM polysaccharide complex. The levels of zinc evaluated were 0 ppm, 20 ppm, 40 ppm, 60 ppm, 80 ppm or 100 ppm.
Results
The results from this study indicate that the use of zinc from an organic source will provide the highest level of live animal performance.
The additional cost of using an organic source such as SQM has been shown to be offset by the ability to reduce the level of incorporation.
This indicates an overall greater bioavailability and delivery to the animal along with providing zinc to optimize the bird’s performance and efficiency.
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