Interrelationship of dietary vitamin D3 with zinc and iron in young turkeys

Three experiments were conducted with Large White turkeys to four weeks of age. The interrelationship of zinc and vitamin D3 was studied in two experiments. Iron and vitamin D3 were involved in one experiment. One group of ten male and one group of ten female poults were randomly assigned to each treatment within an experiment. All experiments involved a factorial arrangement of two dietary variables, D3 and either zinc or iron. For example, all possible combinations of four zinc levels; 31, 46, 76 and 106 p.p.m. and three vitamin D3 levels; 600, 1200, and 3600 I.C. units/kg. were fed in the second zinc experiment. Significant (P less than 0.05) weight gain differences occurred among both zinc and D3 levels in this experiment. Four week body weights were 356, 436, 459 and 444 g., respectively, for Zn levels; and 409, 410 and 452 g., respectively, for D3 levels. Significant (P less than 0.05) interactions occurred between dietary zinc and D3 levels, and between iron and D3 levels relative to body weight gain, Vitamin D3 tended to increase tibia zinc levels in poults receiving higher zinc levels; the opposite occurred with lower levels of the element. Zinc level in feces was decreased with vitamin D3. Hemoglobin level was not influenced by D3 but was increased by iron.