Table 1.
Description of the seven treatment groups
| Treatment | Source | Added Zinc mg/kg | Total Zinc mg/kg (Intended) | Total Zinc mg/kg (Analysed) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Grower | ||||
| T1 | Nonea | 0 | 40 | 39 | 40 |
| T2 | Zinc sulfate | 40 | 80 | 79 | 82 |
| T3 | 110 | 150b | 138 | 149 | |
| T4 | 400 | 440 | 414 | 465 | |
| T5 | Zinc‐LG | 40 | 80 | 77 | 85 |
| T6 | 110 | 150b | 168 | 159 | |
| T7 | 400 | 440 | 453 | 447 | |
a
Since the background zinc concentration of the basal diets was 34 and 30 mg Zn/kg, these diets were supplemented with zinc sulfate to achieve a total of 40 mg Zn/kg basal diet. The control diet was used in the rest of the treatments.
b
The current maximum authorised dose for zinc (total) in feed is 120 mg/kg chicken feed.