Abstract
A 42-day trial was carried out to assess the influence of dietary supplementation of three zinc types and their combinations on bone indices and interaction with other minerals in the tissues and bones of broiler chickens. Two hundred and sixteen (216) Arbor Acres day-old broiler chicks were divided into six groups to consist of 36 birds and assigned to six treatments, which include zinc-methionine (Zn-met), zinc-oxide (ZnO), nano zinc (NZn), NZn + Zn-met, NZn + ZnO and control (antibiotics). Each treatment was replicated thrice with 12 birds. Data collected were subjected to one-way analysis of variance. Phosphorus was the only mineral that varied in the liver. Heart and meat mineral content were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected except for zinc and phosphorus respectively. Supplementation of nano-zinc alone increased bone weight, and bone robusticity was higher generally in birds fed diets fortified with zinc. Zn retention was markedly reduced in birds supplemented with Zn-met and NZn + ZnO. Sole supplementation of nano-zinc significantly elevated phosphorus (37.96 mg/dl) in bones, while Cu content was higher in all zinc-supplemented groups except the ZnO group. This study concludes that nano-zinc supplementation increased tibia bone length and weight, while bone ash and calcium were not affected by different zinc types and their combinations.