Effect of different levels of dietary fat on broiler performance and production cost with emphasis on calcium and phosphorus absorption.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of dietary fat on performance of broiler (Ross 308 strain) with emphasis on calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) absorption during a 56 days rearing period. A total of 360 1-day-old chicks randomly assigned to eight experiment groups, three replicates of 10 birds each. The birds with a 4 × 2 factorial design received either four levels of fat (0, 2, 4 and 6% of diet) or two levels of Ca (1 or 2 % of diet). Results showed that administration of different fat levels to broiler diets significantly (P< 0.01) increased food intake (FI), feed efficiency (FE), carcass weight (CW), abdominal fat (AF) and diet cost (DC). From the results of the present study, it was concluded that a combination of 2% of animal fat and 1 or 2 % of Ca provides the greatest performance in broiler chickens and this combination can be considered as a advantageous management practice in Ross 308 strains diets, with improving the Ca and P absorption; however, higher levels of fat intake may decrease absorption percentage.

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