Estimation of standardized mineral availabilities in feedstuffs for broilers

Area of Science:

• Animal Nutrition
• Poultry Science
• Mineral Metabolism

Background:

• Accurate mineral nutrition is crucial for broiler growth and health.
• Standardized mineral availability (SMA) data is essential for formulating balanced diets.
• Previous studies lacked comprehensive SMA data for diverse feedstuffs and verification of additivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate standardized mineral (Ca, P, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) availabilities in common broiler feedstuffs.
• To verify the additivity of SMA for formulating corn-soybean meal (C-SBM) diets for broilers.
• To establish a reliable method for determining endogenous mineral losses in broilers.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments using Arbor Acres male broilers (96 and 144 birds).
• Mineral-free diets were used to determine endogenous mineral losses.
• Excreta collection and analysis to calculate standardized mineral availabilities (SMA).
• Comparison of determined SMA values with predicted additive values in C-SBM diets.

Main Results:

• Endogenous losses for Ca, P, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn were established.
• SMA values for corn ranged from 10.7% (Mn) to 47.4% (Fe).
• SMA values for soybean meal ranged from 26.1% (Mn) to 54.3% (Ca).
• SMA values for six additional feedstuffs varied widely, e.g., Ca (24.7%-55.8%), P (35.6%-46.6%).
• Determined SMA in C-SBM diets closely matched predicted additive values (P > 0.09).

Conclusions:

• A mineral-free diet is effective for estimating endogenous mineral losses and SMA in feedstuffs for broilers.
• The additivity of SMA for feedstuffs is confirmed, supporting its use in broiler diet formulation.
• This research provides valuable SMA data for optimizing broiler nutrition and feed formulation.