Two hundred and twenty-five one day-old avian chicks were used to investigate the effect of different dietary supplemental zinc sources and levels on growth performance, blood picture and biochemical parameters, immune response, carcass characteristics and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. Birds were randomly allocated into 9 groups which fed on the experimental basal diet supplemented with different zinc sources and levels; group 1 was fed basal diet supplemented with (60 ppm) inorganic zinc oxide, while groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were supplemented with (60, 45, 30 or 15 ppm) organic zinc (polysaccharide-zinc complex) respectively and groups 6, 7, 8 and 9 were supplemented with (60, 45, 30 or 15ppm) zinc oxide nanoparticles respectively. Broiler chickens fed 60 or 45 ppm organic zinc improved growth performance while, lower supplementation levels (30 or 15ppm) had no significant effect. Moreover, zinc nanoparticles supplementation at 60, 45 or 30 ppm improved growth performance while lower level (15ppm) significantly reduced broiler performance and feed efficiency parameters. Using organic or nano zinc reduced total feed intake of broiler chicken. Organic or nano zinc supplementation non-significantly reduced blood serum lipids and increased GOT or GPT concentrations compared with those fed on diet supplemented with inorganic zinc. Moreover, organic or nano zinc had no significant effect on antioxidant enzyme activity while reduced abdominal fat weight. Organic zinc or nano zinc supplementation improved phagocytic activity, antibody production against Newcastle Disease vaccine, lymphoid organs weight and improve intestinal villi length, width and crypt depth of broiler chicken.
Key words: Broiler chickens Organic zinc Nano zinc Growth performance Immune response Intestinal health.
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