[Affection of growth of zinc deficiency growing rats]

Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats with an average live mass of 42 +/- 4g were divided into 5 groups of 10 animals each. An artificial semi-systhesis diet was given to the animals. Group 1 received a control diet (32.2 mg Zn/kg DM), and group 2 a zinc deficient diet (3.4 mg Zn/kg DM) ad libitum. The animals of group 3 were pair fed to group 2 with a diet (84.9 mg Zn/KgDM). Diets of group 4 and 5 contained zinc (4.4 and 5.5 kg Zn/micrograms DM), respectively. The two groups also pair fed to group 2. The food intake and live mass gain were observed every day. After 26 days of experiment, the animals were decapitated; the blood samples were collected for the analysis of serum zinc, zinc binding capacity, and alkaline phosphatase.