Effect of supplementary dietary phosphorus on the reproductive capacity and bone integrity of broiler breeder males fed a corn- soybean diet.
A 16-wk study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary phosphorus on the reproductive capacity and bone integrity of broiler breeder males (BBM). Forty-five Arbor Acres BBM 32 wk of age were randomly divided into 3 treatments receiving either 0, .05 or .13% supplemental P. Each treatment had three replicates with five birds/replicate. Males were housed in individual cages. Birds were provided with 110 g feed/bird per day of corn-soybean meal diet containing approximately 12.4% CP and providing 3,260 kcal ME/kg. Birds were ejaculated weekly and their reproductive capacity evaluated by determining semen volume, sperm per ejaculate, intact sperm cells, and fertility and hatchability of fertile eggs. Bone integrity was evaluated by tibia bone ash at the end of the experiment. No significant treatment differences (P greater than .05) were observed among any criteria of semen quality, hatch of fertile eggs, bone integrity and body weight change. The results from this study indicate that BBM kept in cages, from 32 to 48 wk of age, can be maintained on a corn-soybean meal diet containing no supplemental P and with a daily intake of 300 mg total P/bird, without affecting their reproductive capacity and bone integrity.
Department of Poultry Science, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611.
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Bootwalla
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Harms
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000032:analysis*; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet; D008297:Male; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012098:Reproduction; D013025:Glycine max; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D003313:Zea mays
D010758:Phosphorus