Effects of dietary replacement of organic minerals, fish oil and hydrolyzed collagen on tibia characteristics of broiler chickens

Nutrition is one of the most important factors for growth and bone development in broiler chickens. Alterations and replacements in broiler diets might affect bone development; it might contribute to locomotion related problems. This study was designed to evaluate effects of dietary replacement of organic minerals (OTM), fish oil (FISH) and hydrolyzed collagen (COL) on tibia characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of 384 one-day-old Ross 308 male broilers were used in a completely randomized pen design with 4 diet treatments and 8 replicates per treatment. In the OTM diet, the inorganic calcium, phosphorus and trace elements were replaced by their organic varieties. In the FISH diet, palm oil and soybean oil were partly (%91) replaced by fish oil. In the COL diet, soybean meal was partly (%14) replaced by hydrolyzed collagen. On day 28, 35 and 42, tibia length (TL), thickness (TT), head thickness (THT), mineral content (TMC), mineral density (TMD), breaking strength (TBS), stiffness (TSF) and energy to fracture (TEF) were measured (n=3/replicate). Tibia parameters were corrected for differences in BW. Birds of the OTM treatment had the longest TL at day 42; the longest THT at day 28; the highest TMC at day 42; the highest TMD at day 28, 35 and 42; the highest TBS at day 42; the highest TSF at day 35 and 42; and the highest TEF at day 42 compared to the other treatments. All tibia parameters of the FISH treatment showed a general tendency to lowest values. All tibia parameters of the COL and control treatments were ranked between OTM and FISH treatments throughout the experiment. It can be concluded that replacing inorganic Ca, P and trace elements in broiler diets by organic Ca, P and trace elements might stimulate tibia development.