Effect of a zinc-deficient diet on nitrogen balance in rats

The effects of a zinc-deficient diet (1.5 mg/kg) on nitrogen balance in rats, fed ad libitum during 30 days, was tested. Three nitrogen balances, each of 5 days, were done on the 4th, 15th and 25th days. A pair-fed group, with a supplemented diet at 80 mg/kg of zinc, was used as control. No significant differences (P less than or equal to 0.05) in any nitrogen balances for True Digestibility, Operative Biological Value and body weight were found. Nevertheless a trend was observed in all studied variables, indicating that the proteins of the control diet were better utilized than those of the zinc-deficient ones. The variation of the Biological Value of the proteins in the zinc-deficient group along the experimental period was similar to the control group.