The Effects of Varying Dietary Na/K Ratio and Electrolyte Balance of Diets on Growth, Blood Gases, Hematological Variables, Ionized Calcium and Carcass Traits in Broiler Chickens

Abstract

The effects of 12 different diets which regulated 0.1-0.7 mol Na/K ratio and 176-422 mEq/kg Dietary Electrolyte Balance, DEB, (Na+K-Cl) were investigated on growth, blood gases, hematological variables, biochemical parameters and carcass traits in broiler chickens. Two-day old Ross-308 male chicks (n=180) having individual thirty replicates for 6 groups were used and the study lasted 42 days in the experiment. The S group diet was based on corn and soybean meal and 0.25% salt. This group diet was accomplished by adding 1-0.5% NH4Cl as A1 and A2 of anionic groups and 0.5-1-1.5% NaHCO3 as C1, C2 and C3 of cationic groups in starter and grower phases, respectively. Increasing Na/K and DEB of the diets had no effect on live weight, body weight gain and feed per gain in 0-42 days (P>0.05). Blood pH quantitatively increased in S, C1 and C2 groups (P<0.05). A1, A2 and S groups of pO(2) levels were higher than those of cationic groups (P<0.05), (R-2=0.59). The values of HCO3-, HCO3std, TCO2, BEecf, Be(b), Hct and THbc were lower anionic groups than cationic groups (P<0.05), (R-2=0.63-0.82). SO2c level was the lowest in C1 group (P<0.05). Anion gaps of the broilers were calculated as 7.97-20.84 mEq/l. Ionized calcium was quantitatively the highest in A1 group. Hot carcass and abdominal fat were not affected by the experimental diets with varying Na/K and DEB (P>0.05). Based on the results of this study, anionic diet such as A1 or 0.1 of Na/K ratio and 212 mEq/kg of DEB could be fed for broilers in case of insufficient Ca. In normal case, it is concluded that C1 and C2 of diets or 0.3-0.5 of Na/K ratios and 259-344 mEq/kg of DEB were appropriate for broilers.