title: Effect of dietary sodium zeolite A and graded levels of calcium and phosphorus on growth, plasma, and tibia characteristics of chicks.
abstract: Sodium zeolite A (SZA), a synthetic sodium aluminosilicate having a high ion exchange capacity, has been shown to influence Ca and P utilization in chickens. A 3 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was used to investigate the effect of dietary P (.41, .55, and .69% total P), Ca (.6 and 1%), and SZA (0 and .75%) on growth, plasma, and tibia characteristics of chicks from 5 to 15 days of age. Growth, feed intake, gain:feed ratio, and tibia characteristics were influenced by dietary Ca and P in a manner consistent with dietary recommendations for these macro minerals. The addition of Ca, SZA, or both exacerbated the adverse effects of feeding low-P diets, yet alleviated the adverse effects of feeding a low-Ca, high-P diet. Dietary SZA had no effect (P greater than .5) on plasma Ca or alkaline phosphatase; however, SZA reduced (P less than .01) plasma P. Dietary SZA increased (P less than .02) tibia Mn, Zn, Cu, and Al. The SZA-induced increase in tibia Al was most evident in chicks fed low levels of P (SZA by P interaction, P less than .02). The overall response to dietary SZA addition paralleled the response observed from Ca supplementation, indicating that SZA increased Ca utilization, reduced P utilization, or contributed to both of these effects. These data demonstrate that the effects of SZA are influenced by the dietary concentration of Ca and P and that the addition of SZA to diets low in P results in bone Al accumulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge 70803.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Southern
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D016226:Phosphorus, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013977:Tibia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D017641:Zeolites
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D016226:Phosphorus, Dietary; D017641:Zeolites; D010758:Phosphorus; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium