title: Effect of zinc-bearing zeolite clinoptilolite on growth performance,  zinc accumulation, and gene expression of zinc transporters in broilers.
abstract: This study investigated Zn-bearing zeolite clinoptilolite (Zn-ZCP) as a Zn supplement on performance, organ or tissue development, Zn accumulation in tissues, and gene expression of Zn transporters in the duodenum of broilers. A total of 300 1-d-old Arbor Acres chickens were randomly allocated to 5 dietary treatments with 6 replicate cages of 10 birds per treatment for a 21-d feeding period. The treatments comprised a basal corn–soybean meal diet without supplemental Zn (the control) or similar diets supplemented with 80 mg/kg Zn from ZnSO4 or 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg Zn from Zn- ZCP, respectively. Supplementation of Zn-ZCP had a positive effect on G:F (linear, P < 0.05) and had tendency difference on ADG (linear, P < 0.1) of broilers during 1 to 21 d. Incremental Zn-ZCP inclusion in the diet increased the fresh weight of the pancreas (linear, P < 0.05) and tibia (linear, P < 0.05) in broilers on d 14. The same trend to the fresh weight of the tibia (linear, P < 0.05) and pancreas (linear, P < 0.05) was observed on d 21. Increasing Zn-ZCP level showed a linear response on Zn concentration in the liver (linear, P < 0.001), pancreas (linear, P < 0.05), and tibia (linear, P < 0.05) on d 14. The same trend of Zn concentrations in pancreas (linear, P < 0.05) and tibia (linear, P < 0.001) was observed on d 21. The mRNA levels of Zn transporter 2 (ZnT-2) and Zn transporter 5 (ZnT-5) in the duodenum of chicks fed the diet with 80 mg/kg Zn from Zn-ZCP did not differ from those of chicks fed the control diet, but both were lower (P < 0.05) than those of chicks fed ZnSO4 diet. Metallothionein (MT) mRNA levels of broilers fed the diet supplemented with 80 mg/kg Zn from Zn-ZCP or ZnSO4 was higher (P < 0.05) than that in the control group. Dietary treatments did not affect the mRNA expression of Zn transporter 1 (ZnT-1) or metal response element-binding transcription factor-1 (MTF-1). In conclusion, as a Zn supplement, Zn-ZCP was comparable to ZnSO4 for enhancing Zn accumulation and growth performance of broilers during 1 to 21 d. Broilers fed the diet with 80 mg/kg Zn from Zn-ZCP had different expressions of ZnT-2 and ZnT-5 in the duodenum compared with those fed the ZnSO4 diet.
authors.forename: Z G
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004386:Duodenum / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D009929:Organ Size; D010179:Pancreas / Q000254:growth & development; D013025:Glycine max; D013977:Tibia / Q000254:growth & development; D003313:Zea mays; D017641:Zeolites / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C017800:zinc-binding protein; C083175:clinoptilolite; D017641:Zeolites; D015032:Zinc