EXCRETION LEVEL OF TRACE MINERALS IN BROILERS FED ORGANIC MINERAL

Abstract The aim of this current study was to determine the excretion level of the trace organic minerals copper, iron, manganese, and zinc added to broiler diets at different inclusion levels. The treatments consisted of a corn and soybean meal based diet supplemented with inorganic minerals or levels of organic minerals: basal diet containing 0% of microminerals of organic source (MO), 50% MO, 75% MO, and 100% MO. Excretion levels of organic trace minerals varied quadratically in relation to the inclusion levels of organic minerals. The inclusion levels of 50% and 75% of organic minerals led to animals with lower excretion levels of all trace elements evaluated. The performance variables did not suffer any influence of treatments, even when the amount of organic minerals was equivalent to 50% of the recommended levels. The diet with the addition of trace organic minerals at the level of 50% is more efficient since it provides lower levels of trace minerals excretion keeping poultry performance.