Effects of dietary zinc oxide nanoparticles on growth performance and antioxidative status in broilers

Broilers in four groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 60 mg/kg zinc oxide (60-ZnO; control), or 20, 60, or 100 mg/kg ZnO nanoparticles (20-, 60-, and 100-nano-ZnO, respectively). Compared with the controls, after 14 days, birds in the 20- and 60-nano-ZnO groups had significantly greater weight gains and better feed conversion ratios. However, the body weight of birds in the 100-nano-ZnO group was dramatically reduced after 28 days. Relative to the control group, the total antioxidant capability (T-AOC) in serum and liver tissue was significantly higher in the 20-nano-ZnO group at all time points and also significantly higher in the 60- and 100-nano-ZnO groups in serum on days 28 and 35 and in liver tissues on days 21 and 28. Compared with the controls, the activity of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu-Zn-SOD) was significantly greater in the 60- and 100-nano-ZnO groups in serum on days 28 and 35 and in liver tissues after 21 days. Catalase activity in serum samples was significantly higher in the 20- and 60-nano-ZnO groups relative to the control and 100-nano-ZnO birds, but catalase activity in liver tissue was not affected by different nano-ZnO levels. Malondialdehyde content in serum and liver tissues was significantly reduced in the 20-, 60-, and 100-nano-ZnO groups compared with that in the control group at all time points except day 42. Taken together, our data indicate that appropriate concentration of dietary ZnO nanoparticles improves growth performance and antioxidative capabilities in broilers, and 20 mg/kg nano-ZnO is the optimal concentration.