Effect of dietary aluminum sulfate on calcium and phosphorus metabolism of broiler chicks.

The effect of dietary aluminum sulfate on Ca and P metabolism was studied using 1-day-old male broiler chicks. In Experiment 1, practical diets providing .90% Ca plus .45% available P (Pav), .90% Ca plus .78% Pav, 1.80% Ca plus .45% Pav, or 1.80% Ca plus .90% Pav were fed with 0 or .392% A1 as aluminum sulfate for 21 days. The control diet (.90% Ca plus .45% Pav) without added A1 was fed to all chicks during Days 22 to 49. In general, A1 significantly (P less than .05) decreased BW gain, feed intake, gain:feed ratio, plasma inorganic P (Pi), tibia breaking strength, tibia weight, percentage of tibia ash, and plasma Zn, measured at Day 21. Elevating Pav increased BW gain, feed intake, gain:feed ratio, tibia weight and plasma Zn, and decreased plasma total Ca in the presence of .392% A1 plus 1.80% Ca. Plasma Pi, tibia breaking strength, and percentage of tibia ash were increased by raising dietary Pav in the presence of .392% A1 with either level of Ca. Negative effects of dietary A1 on feed intake and BW persisted through Day 49. In Experiment 2, a control diet (.90% Ca, .45% Pav) was fed for ad libitum access either alone or supplemented with .2% A1 as aluminum sulfate or with an equivalent amount of sulfate provided by potassium sulfate. The control diet was also pair-fed to chicks given .2% A1. Dietary A1 significantly depressed weight gain, feed intake, gain:feed ratio, and plasma Pi.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)