THE UTILIZATION OF SODIUM IN SODIUM ZEOLITE-A BY BROILERS

Two identical experiments were conducted with 1-d-old broiler chicks to determine whether the Na in sodium zeolite A (SZA) was utilizable. Three male and three female chicks were randomly assigned to each of eight replicate pens per treatment. A com-soybean meal basal diet was formulated to contain supplemental levels of 0, .02,.04,.06,.08, and .16% Na from either SZA or NaCl. The diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. The Cl level within each dietary Na level was kept constant. Feed and deionized water were offered for ad libitum consumption throughout each 21-d experiment. In both experiments, broiler body weight was increased with each addition of Na from either NaCl or SZA. In Experiment 1, the addition of Na, whether from NaCl or SZA, resulted in an improvement in feed consumption and feed conversion compared with birds fed the control diet. In Experiment 2, body weights of birds fed .04 to .08% Na from SZA were heavier than those fed the same levels from NaCl. Overall the addition of Na from SZA or NaCl resulted in an improvement in body weight, increased feed consumption, and improved feed conversion. Data from these experiments indicated that the Na in SZA was able to be utilized by broilers as efficiently as the Na from NaCl.