effect of the electrolyte balance in the ration on bone and poultry litter parameters

The effects of dietary electrolyte balance (DEB) on the femurs and litter of broilers were evaluated. Nine hundred and sixty birds from 7 to 21 days of age and eight hundred and sixteen birds from 22 to 38 days of age were used in the first and second experiments, respectively, distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments (DEB: 200, 240, 280 and 320mEq/kg) and four replicates. Poultry litter was analyzed for moisture, pH, volatilized ammonia and bulk. Femurs were weighed and analyzed for bone density, morphometry and weight/length index. DEB did not affect (P>0.05) the bones at 21 and 38 days or the pH, volatilized ammonia or bulk of litters at 21 days, but there was a linear effect (P<0.02) of DEB on moisture (Ŷ = 24.10 + 2.19X, R2=0.37). There was no effect (P>0.05) of the treatments on the pH or volatilized ammonia of litters at 38 days of age. However, the moisture (Ŷ =35.01 + 3.30X, R2=0.29) and bulk (Ŷ =194.17 + 31.12X, R2=0.54) of the litters increased (P<0.03) when the DEB value was higher than 280mEq/kg. It was concluded that diets with 200mEq/kg of DEB can be used for broilers with no negative effects on bone and poultry litter parameters.