Organic zinc sources in broiler production at high altitude under on-top supplementation or total or partial replacement: 1. Effects on performance and zinc excretion

Feeding broilers with organic chemical sources of Zn has recently been recommended to improve performance, immune system, carcass yield, and reduce environmental contamination. However, its use under proposed supplementation strategies (i.e., total replacement, partial replacement, on-top) needs further investigation. This study assessed the effect of total replacement, partial replacement, and on-top supplementation strategies to feed organic Zn sources and the effect of two organic chemical forms on performance and Zn excretion in broilers at high altitudes. Twenty-two male Cobb 500-day-old chicks were placed in each of 54 floor pens and raised for up to 42 days under a three-phase feeding program and following the Ecuadorian highland production system. Pens were assigned to one of nine experimental treatments consisting of a basal diet supplemented with 0, 33, and 100 ppm of Zn from ZnSO₄ and added or not 40 ppm Zn from Zn proteinate or Zn amino acid complex. A Completely Randomized Block Design was considered, being the block the replication. The Zn concentration of the basal diet was determined. Feed intake, BW, BW gain, feed conversion ratio, and European Production Efficiency Factor were assessed at 21 and 42 days of age, and the Zn excretion was estimated accordingly. Each supplementation strategy was compared with the standard practice (100 ppm Zn as ZnSO₄) using contrasts and mixed models, and the interaction with the chemical form was assessed considering the P-values of the ANOVA and the multiple comparisons between the corresponding treatments. The effects of the organic Zn forms and their interactions with the dietary Zn level were assessed considering the responses were linear functions of the organic Zn source, the feed intake, the Zn intake, the Zn supplementation level, and the block, as corresponding. None of the strategies to supplement a Zn organic source, or the organic sources themselves, showed overall detectable effects on performance. However, interactions were observed between the supplementation strategy and the organic Zn source and between the organic source and the dietary Zn levels or the Zn intake. Under the on-top supplementation strategy, the Zn organic sources showed different feed conversion ratios at 21 days. In addition, totally or partially replacing the ZnSO₄ with a Zn organic form reduced the Zn excretion. In conclusion, although no overall effect of the supplementation strategies was detected, the assessed organic Zn forms showed different effects on the feed conversion ratio at 21 days.