Effects of dietary calcium and microbial phytase on the bioavailability of two sources of zinc in broilers

1. The objective of this study was to test the effect of microbial phytase and calcium (Ca) levels on the Zn bioavailability depending on the Zn source.2. A total of 144, one-day-old broilers received a diet containing 40 mg Zn/kg for 1 week. They were then assigned to one of the eight experimental treatments during 2 weeks. Diets contained 27 mg native Zn and were formulated according to a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design with two added Zn sources (23 mg Zn/kg), sulphate (ZnSO₄) or oxide (ZnO); two dietary Ca levels of either 6 (low) or 10 g/kg (moderate); and two microbial phytase levels, of either 0 or 750 phytase unit/kg.3. Moderate Ca plus phytase improved body weight gain (BWG) and low Ca level without microbial phytase decreased tibia weight (Ca × Phy; p = 0.049). Zinc oxide resulted in a higher tibia development (i.e. tibia weight and length; p < 0.05) and BWG (p = 0.009) and lower FCR (p < 0.001) compared to ZnSO₄.4. Phytase improved tibia Zn concentration especially in birds given ZnSO₄ compared to ZnO (Zn × Phy; p = 0.049). Moderate Ca diets improved tibial characteristics and Zn deposition compared to low Ca diets (p < 0.05).5. Soluble Zn in the gizzard increased in the presence of phytase (p = 0.011), while higher dietary Ca reduced this in birds receiving ZnO (p = 0.004). In the jejunum, Zn solubility was higher with phytase (p = 0.008).6. Under the conditions of this study, dietary levels of Ca and microbial phytase affect Zn availability in broilers more than the Zn source.